Bile duct cancer is rare and is the result of the growth of a tumor in the ducts that leads to bile produced in the liver into the gallbladder. Bile is an important fluid in digestion because it helps dissolve fat ingested in meals.
Causes of bile duct cancer may include gallbladder stones, tobacco, bile duct inflammation, obesity, exposure to toxic substances, and parasite infection.
- Bile duct cancer is most common between the ages of 60 and 70 and can be located inside or outside Vater’s liver.
- Gallbladder or bulb.
- A structure that results from the junction of the pancreatic duct with the bile duct.
Bile duct cancer can be cured if diagnosed in the early stages of development, as this type of cancer progresses rapidly and can lead to death in a short period of time.
Symptoms of bile duct cancer may include
Cancer symptoms are uns specific, making it difficult to diagnose the disease, a diagnosis of bile duct cancer can be done by ultrasound, CT or direct cholangiography, an examination that evaluates the structure of the bile ducts, and the biopsy of the tumor.
The most effective treatment for bile duct cancer is surgery to remove the tumor and lymph nodes from the cancerous tract, preventing it from spreading to other organs. When the cancer is in the bile ducts of the liver, part of the liver may need to be removed Sometimes it is necessary to remove blood vessels near the affected bile duct.
Radiation therapy or chemotherapy has no effect on the cure of bile duct cancer and is only used to relieve symptoms of the disease in later stages.