Confusion about tests

Hi, my partner (38 male) has suspected cholangiocarcinoma. He presented to A&E with jaundice (no pain, just yellow) and he didn't have any pain until after he had an ERCP which caused him to get severe acute pancreatitis and sepsis. This caused him to be in critical care for 12 days as he was in multiple organ failure. The only pain he has now is from the pancreatitis but this is only at a 1 now and his bowels are normal with a normal colour, urine is a normal colour, but he doesn't have an appetite still. He had an MRI, CT scan and MRCP. 

He had a biopsy during the ERCP which came back as showing high grade dysplasia. We were told this means it's pre-cancerous. However, the consultant we are now under has essentially dismissed the biopsy and said to us that on his original MRI, CT and MRCP scans it looks like cancer so it is cancer (he phrased it as "if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, it's a duck"). We've had more scans now and we are waiting to find out what treatment can be offered so we are all very anxious. My partner is very very very worried about being told it's terminal and it's spread everywhere. 

Everything I read online says usually the biopsy tell if it is cancerous or benign. I'm fully expecting my partner to be told he has cancer but with the biopsy showing pre-cancerous, could that be a good sign it's caught early or is the consultant right to be dismissive of it and it's likely not caught early? My partner is recovering from the critical care stay and getting stronger each day, eating fine though without much appetite and getting fitter each day so I'm also trying to gauge if I should be looking for any other signs if it has spread? Any advice would be really appreciated.