Bile Duct Cancer Summary Your liver makes a digestive juice called bile. Your gallbladder stores it between meals. When you eat, your gallbladder pushes the bile into tubes called bile ducts. They carry the bile to your small intestine. The bile helps break down fat. It also helps the liver get rid of toxins and wastes. Bile duct cancer is rare. It can happen in the parts of the bile ducts that are outside or inside the liver. Cancer of the bile duct outside of the liver is much more common. Risk factors include having inflammation of the bile duct, ulcerative colitis, and some liver diseases. Symptoms can include Jaundice Itchy skin Fever Abdominal pain Tests to diagnose bile duct cancer may include a physical exam, imaging tests of the liver and bile ducts, blood tests, and a biopsy. Treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. NIH: National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute Encyclopedia Abdominal MRI Biopsy – biliary tract Fecal fat Gallbladder radionuclide scan Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram Diagnosis and Tests ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase) Test American Association for Clinical Chemistry Bilirubin Test American Association for Clinical Chemistry ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases GGT (Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase) Test American Association for Clinical Chemistry How Is Bile Duct Cancer Diagnosed? American Cancer Society Stages of Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer National Cancer Institute Understanding EUS (Endoscopic Ultrasonography) American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Find an Expert American Cancer Society American Cancer Society ASGE: Find a Doctor American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Find a Cancer Doctor American Society of Clinical Oncology Find a Gastroenterologist American College of Gastroenterology National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Organizations That Offer Support Services National Cancer Institute Treatments and Therapies Bile Duct (Cholangiocarcinoma) Cancer: Radiation Therapy American Cancer Society Surgery for Bile Duct (Cholangiocarcinoma) Cancer American Cancer Society Therapeutic ERCP American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Treatment Option Overview (Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer) National Cancer Institute Treatment Options for Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer National Cancer Institute Start Here Bile Duct Cancer American Society of Clinical Oncology General Information about Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer National Cancer Institute What Is Bile Duct Cancer? American Cancer Society Array Biliary stricture Cholangiocarcinoma Endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatography (ERCP) – slideshow ERCP Statistics and Research Cancer of the Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct National Cancer Institute What Are the Key Statistics about Bile Duct Cancer? American Cancer Society What’s New in Bile Duct Cancer Research and Treatment? American Cancer Society Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Bile Duct Neoplasms National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Cholangiocarcinoma National Institutes of Health Videos and Tutorials Diagnosing & Treating Digestive Tract Disorders Endoscopically OR-Live Related Issues Do We Know What Causes Bile Duct Cancer? American Cancer Society What Are the Risk Factors for Bile Duct Cancer? American Cancer Society What Should You Ask Your Doctor about Bile Duct Cancer? American Cancer Society Journal Articles Bile Duct Cancer Living With What Happens After Treatment for Bile Duct Cancer? American Cancer Society Patient Handouts What to Know about External Beam Radiation Therapy National Cancer Institute
