Research advances of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma is a rarely malignant tumor with poor overall prognosis. Radical surgery is the only strategy to improve the long‑term survival of patients with cholangio-carcinoma of early‑stage. For most patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma, systematic treatment has become the main strategy. But the available first‑line drugs for the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma are limited and the curative effect is limited. In recent years, immunotherapy strategies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors have achieved encouraging results in a variety of solid tumors by using the host immune system to carry out effective anti‑tumor responses. The authors summarize the research advances of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma.