Bile Duct Cancer
Educational information. Individual clinical review of this presentation by Dr. Ehsan is not yet documented. It does not replace personal medical evaluation.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Read the original source
MedlinePlus data edition September 26, 2026. Imported September 27, 2026. These dates do not indicate a new clinical review of the article.
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
Symptoms, tests and care options
Further reading selected by MedlinePlus. Links open the original organizations’ websites.
- Alkaline Phosphatase · National Library of Medicine
- Bile Duct Cancer Diagnosis · National Cancer Institute
- Bile Duct Cancer Treatment · National Cancer Institute
- Bilirubin Blood Test · National Library of Medicine
- Endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatography (ERCP) - series · Medical Encyclopedia
- Radiation Therapy for Bile Duct Cancer · American Cancer Society
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