Reviewed by: Melisa Darby, cancer nurse, RN,BN, Grad. Cert. Cancer Nursing
Bile duct cancer is also known as cholangiocarcinoma.
The bile duct is the tube that takes bile from the liver and passes to the small bowel. Bile is needed for digesting fats.
It's cancer that starts in the bile duct. Cancer can occur in 3 different parts of the bile duct and symptoms depend on where it forms.
Bile duct cancer is rare.
It's not known what causes most bile duct cancers. People with abnormalities in the bile ducts are more likely to get this cancer. People with a bowel disease called ulcerative colitis are also at higher risk.
Jaundice is a sign of bile duct cancer. This is when the skin and whites of the eyes become yellow. The urine may also become dark yellow and the bowel motions become light coloured. People with bile duct cancer can feel extremely itchy. Stomach upsets, loss of appetite and high temeperatures and weight loss are also symptoms.
If you have one of these symptoms, but haven't been diagnosed with this cancer, remember that it's rare, and your symptom is likely to be caused by something else. But see your doctor if any symptom persists for more than 2 weeks.
