Page last updated: November 2025
The information on this webpage was adapted from Understanding Gall Bladder Cancer - A guide for people affected by cancer (2025 edition). This webpage was last updated in November 2025.
Expert content reviewers:
This information was developed with the help of a range of health professionals and people affected by cancer:
- Dr Corina Behrenbruch, Colorectal Surgeon, St Vincent’s Hospital Fitzroy, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and The University of Melbourne, VIC
- Dr Prasad Cooray, Medical Oncologist and Clinical Lecturer – The University of Melbourne Department of Surgery, Austin Health, VIC
- Prof Jacob George, The University of Sydney and Head, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Westmead Hospital and Western Sydney Local Health District, NSW
- Dr Andrew Oar, Radiation Oncologist, Icon Cancer Centre, Gold Coast University Hospital, QLD
- Chris Rivett, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA
- Nicole Williams, HepatoPancreatoBiliary (HPB) Nurse Consultant, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, SA.
Gallbladder and bile duct cancers are rare, so you may want to talk to your doctor about being referred to a specialist treatment centre with a multidisciplinary team (MDT) that regularly manages this cancer. The MDT will work out the best treatment, depending on:
- the type and location of the cancer
- if the cancer has spread; your health, and
- your own preferences.
You may also want to get a second opinion from another specialist team to confirm or explain the treatment options. Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the main treatments for gallbladder cancer and bile duct cancer.
Immunotherapy and targeted therapy are also used to treat these cancers. You might have one or more of these treatments – either on their own or combined.
Surgery
Surgery is the most common treatment for gallbladder cancer and bile duct cancer. For people with early-stage disease, the gallbladder can be completely removed and the bile duct openings in the liver can be attached directly to the bowel.
Sometimes a stent (small tube made of plastic or metal) will be inserted into the bile duct to help the bile flow past a blockage into the small bowel.
The extent of the surgery depends on the location and stage of the tumour. Your surgeon will discuss the type of operation you may need and the side effects and risks of surgery.
Surgery to remove the gallbladder is called a cholecystectomy. Often surrounding tissue including lymph nodes, bile ducts and part of the liver will also be removed. Surgery may be performed as either open surgery or keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery.
Gallbladder and bile duct cancers clinical trials
Cancer clinical trials are research studies that test whether a new approach to prevention, screening, diagnosis, or treatment works better than current methods and is safe.
There are clinical trials for gallbladder and bile duct cancers open to recruitment in Victoria. This list shows the most recently updated gallbladder and bile duct cancers studies on the Victorian Cancer Trials Link (VCTL).
Visit the VCTL to find more gallbladder and bile duct cancers clinical trials.
Radiation therapy
Also called radiotherapy, radiation therapy uses a controlled dose of radiation to kill or damage cancer cells. External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) uses radiation from a large machine called a linear accelerator. The radiation is usually from x-ray beams.
You lie on a table and the machine delivers radiation to the targeted area. Each radiation session takes 10–20 minutes and is painless. A typical treatment plan might involve a session of radiation therapy every weekday for 4–6 weeks.
In some instances, radiation therapy is given over a much shorter time period. The dose and duration of radiation therapy is decided by your radiation oncologist.
Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) is sometimes used for bile duct cancer. In SIRT, tiny radioactive beads (microspheres) made of resin or glass are inserted into your body, and target the tumour through the bloodstream.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells. You may have one chemotherapy drug, or be given a combination of drugs. This is because different drugs can destroy or shrink cancer cells in different ways.
Your treatment will depend on your situation and the stage of the tumour. Your medical oncologist will discuss your options with you.
Chemotherapy is usually given through a drip into a vein (intravenously) or as a tablet that is swallowed. Chemotherapy is commonly given in cycles which may be daily, weekly or monthly.
For example, a cycle may last 3 weeks – you have the drug over a few hours, followed by a rest period, before starting another cycle. The length of the cycle and number of cycles depends on the drugs being given.
Learn more
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a drug treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. There are several different types of immunotherapy.
Targeted therapy
Targeted therapy is a type of drug treatment. It attacks specific cancer cell features, known as molecular targets, to stop the cancer growing and spreading.
Targeted therapy is not suitable for everyone. Your doctors may test the cancer to see if the cells contain a particular molecular target.
Staying well during treatment
Seek support
Feeling a range of emotions after a cancer diagnosis is normal. You may feel overwhelmed, anxious, fearful, angry, sad or lonely. Many people need emotional support before, during and after treatment.
Adjusting to living with scars, changes to your physical appearance, changes to your lifestyle and how your body works can be hard. It may help to talk with a counsellor, psychologist, friend or family member.
Talk to your medical team about what support services are available to you or call Cancer Council 13 11 20.
Learn more
Eat and drink well
If you have had your gallbladder removed, bile made by the liver will no longer be stored between meals.
Bile instead will flow directly from your liver into your small intestine and there will still be enough bile produced for normal digestion.
You should still be able to eat a normal diet after your gallbladder is removed, but it’s a good idea to avoid high-fat foods for a few weeks after surgery while your body adjusts.
Eating well can help you cope with some of the common side effects of cancer treatment and help you recover faster. You can discuss individual nutrition with health professionals such as dietitians.
Get active
Research shows exercise can benefit people during and after cancer treatment. Being active can help you cope with some of the common side effects of cancer treatment and speed up recovery.
It can also improve quality of life by giving you more energy, keeping your muscles strong, helping you maintain a healthy weight and boosting your mood.
Learn more
Side effects of treatment
All treatments can have side effects. The type of side effects that you may have and how long these last will depend on the type of treatment and where in your body the cancer is.
Some people have very few side effects and others have more. Before your treatment begins, your specialist team will discuss possible side effects, both short-term and long-term (including those that may not start immediately).
Common side effects of treatment
- surgery – bleeding, damage to nearby tissue and organs (including liver failure and bile leakage), pain, infection, blood clots, weak muscles (atrophy), lymphoedema
- radiation therapy – fatigue, nausea and vomiting, liver inflammation, bowel issues (such as diarrhoea) skin problems, loss of fertility
- chemotherapy – fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, bowel issues (such as diarrhoea) hair loss, mouth sores, skin and nail problems, increased chance of infections, loss of fertility, early menopause
- immunotherapy – fatigue, nausea, skin rash and itching, joint pain, diarrhoea, dry eyes
- targeted therapy – fatigue, nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, sore mouth, blood pressure changes, appetite loss, bleeding and bruising, skin problems, joint aches, headache
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may cause infertility. If you may want to have children in the future, it is important to discuss this with your treatment team before starting treatment. See Fertility and Cancer or call 13 11 20.
Follow-up appointments
After treatment, you will need check-ups every 3–12 months for several years to confirm that the cancer hasn’t come back.
Between visits, let your doctor know immediately if you have new symptoms or any other health problems.
If the cancer comes back
For some people, cancer does come back after treatment. This is known as recurrence. Depending on where the cancer comes back, treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
For more information, see our pages on Understanding Palliative Care, Living with Advanced Cancer and Facing End of Life, or call 13 11 20.
Question checklist
For some people, cancer does come back after treatment. Asking your doctor questions will help you make an informed choice. You may want to include some of the questions below in your list.
- What type of cancer do I have?
- What stage of cancer do I have?
- What are the treatment options for me?
- What is the goal of the treatment?
- What are the possible risks or side effects of my treatment?
- How long will all the treatment take? Will I have to stay in hospital?
- Is this treatment covered by Medicare or private insurance? Will there be extra expenses?
Understanding Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancers
Download our Understanding Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancers fact sheet to learn more.
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