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Bile duct cancer
Also referred to as cholangiocarcinoma. Bile duct cancer is rare but aggressive, accounting for 10-15% of all primary liver cancers.
What is bile duct cancer?
Bile helps to break down and digest fat. It's made in the liver, stored in the gallbladder and carried around the body by bile ducts. Though rare, bile duct cancer can be aggressive. It accounts for 10-15% of all primary liver cancers and affects both men and women. At HCA Healthcare UK, we offer a variety of treatment options.
Need to know
Usually, the signs of bile duct cancer won't show until its later stages, when the cancer grows large enough to cause a blockage. These symptoms might include:
- jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
- pale-coloured faeces
- darker urine
- itchy skin
- feeling tired and unwell
- abdominal pain and swelling
- fever, chills and shivering
These symptoms might be a sign of other conditions, so it's important to see a consultant who can diagnose your symptoms.
Your HCA UK GP or consultant oncologist will discuss your symptoms with you. They may also recommend certain diagnostic tests.
- Various blood tests to rule out other conditions.
- An abdominal ultrasound, which uses sound waves to create images of your bile ducts, pancreas and liver from the outside.
- An endoscopic ultrasound scan, which uses sound waves to create images of your bile ducts, pancreas and liver from the inside.
- A detailed X-ray, where a special dye will be inserted into your bile duct to make them show up more clearly.
- A biopsy, which involves removing a small sample of bile duct tissue and testing it for signs of cancer.
Your treatment options will depend on the position, stage and size of the bile duct cancer. Another important factor is if the cancer has spread beyond the bile duct. In some cases, the aim of treatment is to relieve your symptoms rather than provide a cure.
- surgery to remove the affected area (only in certain cases and if the cancer hasn't spread)
- removing the cancerous bile ducts (normally for early-stage cancers)
- Whipple's procedure (surgery to remove the bile ducts and parts of surrounding organs; for larger cancers)
- surgery to remove the bile duct blockage (if the cancer is too big to remove)
- chemotherapy (to kill remaining cancer cells)
Our Bile duct cancer locations
Leaders in Oncology Care
95-97 Harley Street W1G 6AF London
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
Private Care at Guy's
Great Maze Pond SE1 9RT London
Sarah Cannon Research Institute
93 Harley Street W1G 6AD London
The Christie Private Care
Wilmslow Road M20 4BX Manchester
The Harborne Hospital
Mindelsohn Way B15 2TQ Birmingham
The Harley Street Clinic
35 Weymouth Street W1G 8BJ London
The Lister Hospital
Chelsea Bridge Road SW1W 8RH London
The Princess Grace Hospital
42-52 Nottingham Place W1U 5NY London
The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place St John's Wood NW8 9LE London
Patient stories
Hear from past patients about their experience
Alan's story
Despite years of experiencing heart problems that just wouldn’t go away, Alan was apprehensive about having a surgical procedure. But with the expertise of his consultant and the latest cardiac technology, he decided to go ahead.
Andrew's story
“I couldn’t move my legs at all, and my arms only partially. But now I can walk six miles. I wouldn’t have got that without the physio team at The Christie Private Care, I simply wouldn’t have.”
How a second opinion helped uncover a hidden cardiac problem
Former Olympic swimmer, Adrian, was used to prioritising his physical wellbeing and continued to exercise regularly, keeping him in good health into his 60s. But when he got out of the pool one day, he noticed that something wasn’t right.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.