Data Last Updated: Dec. 17, 2025

Tumor Growth Pattern

Description

Tumor Growth Pattern refers to the growth pattern of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The tumor growth patterns of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma include the mass forming type, the periductal infiltrating type, and a mixed type. * **Periductal infiltrating type** (20%): spreads along the duct in a diffuse manner that may be associated with poorer prognosis. This type of cholangiocarcinoma demonstrates a diffuse longitudinal growth pattern along the bile duct. Limited analyses suggest that the diffuse periductal infiltrating type is associated with a poor prognosis. * **Mass-forming** (60% of intrahepatic bile duct cases), which grows outward (radially) from the duct and invades the liver parenchyma in a well-defined mass.

Rationale

Tumor Growth Pattern is a Registry Data Collection Variable in AJCC. This data item was previously collected for Intrahepatic Bile Duct, SSF #10.

Additional Info

**Source documents:** radiology, surgery, or pathology report

Notes

**Note:** **Physician Statement** * Physician statement of tumor growth pattern can be used to code this data item when no other information is available

Coding Guidelines

**Record the specific type of tumor growth pattern.** **1)** **Code 1** when documentation describes the tumor as mass-forming only **2)** **Code 2** when documentation describes the tumor as periductal infiltrating only **3)** **Code 3** when documentation mentions mixed, mass forming and periductal infiltrating **4)** **Code 9** when * Not documented in the medical record * Tumor growth pattern not evaluated (assessed) * Unknown if Tumor Growth Pattern evaluated (assessed)
Code Description
1 Mass-forming
2 Periductal infiltrating
3 Mixed mass-forming and periductal infiltrating
8 Not applicable: Information not collected for this case
(If this information is required by your standard setter, use of code 8 may result in an edit error.)
9 Not documented in medical record
Radiology and/or pathology report does not mention tumor growth pattern
Cannot be determined by the pathologist
Tumor growth pattern not assessed or unknown if assessed