Bile Duct (Cholangiocarcinoma) Cancer

Bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) forms in the small tubes that carry bile from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine. Bile duct cancers are grouped according to where along the length of the duct it occurs and include: intrahepatic bile duct cancers, perihilar bile duct cancers and distal bile duct cancers. Fewer than 3,000 new cases of bile duct cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States. Survival rates vary depending on the stage at which the cancer is diagnosed. Two thirds of bile duct cancer cases are diagnosed in patients over the age of 65. Other risk factors include: inflammation and scar tissue formation in the ducts; bile duct stones and cysts; liver disease; obesity; and family history. Early stage bile duct cancer typically has no symptoms. Later stage symptoms include fever, weight loss, abdominal pain, jaundice, and itchy skin. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of these.