Bile Duct Cancer
Introduction, Symptoms & Diagnosis
Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare cancer that develops in the bile ducts, which are small tubes that carry bile from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine. It is often difficult to detect early because symptoms may appear only when the disease has progressed.
Symptoms
Common signs include:
- jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
- abdominal pain
- unexplained weight loss,
- changes in stool or urine color
Risk factors include chronic liver disease, bile duct inflammation, certain infections, and exposure to liver flukes.
Diagnosis
Doctors use a combination of:
- Blood tests (liver function, tumor markers such as CA 19-9)
- Imaging scans (ultrasound, CT, MRI, PET-CT)
- Endoscopic procedures (ERCP or EUS for biopsy and stent placement)
- Biopsy (tissue sample to confirm cancer type)
Treatment and Other Information
Treatment Options
Treatment depends on the location, stage, and whether the cancer can be removed by surgery:
- Surgery
- Bile duct resection or removal of part of the bile duct.
- Liver resection if the tumor is inside the liver.
- Whipple procedure if the tumor is near the pancreas and small intestine.
- Liver transplant may be an option for selected patients with early-stage hilar cholangiocarcinoma.
- Radiotherapy
- External beam radiation to target cancer cells.
- Chemotherapy
- Standard first-line treatment for advanced disease is gemcitabine plus cisplatin.
- Other options may include capecitabine, FOLFOX, or clinical trials.