Bile Duct Cancer (Cholangiocarcinoma) - Diagnosis & Treatment

How is bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) diagnosed?

To diagnose cholangiocarcinoma, your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask about your overall health, family history, lifestyle and symptoms.

To confirm the diagnosis, some tests may be recommended, which include:

Abdominal ultrasound, computerised tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) to look for tumours inside your abdomen
Biopsy to extract a sample of bile duct cells which are checked for cancer cells
Blood tests to check your liver function and bilirubin levels, or to look for tumour markers
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), in which a dye is injected into the bile duct, to create a clearer X-ray result
Endoscopy to view the inside of the lower intestine
Laparoscopy to view the bile duct, gallbladder, liver and surrounding tissues

How is bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) treated?

Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) is treated based on whether the cancer can be completely removed by surgery (resectable) or not (non-resectable). Your overall health and the type or location of the tumour may also affect your treatment options, which can include both surgical and non-surgical approaches.

The surgical options include:

• Removal of the bile duct and lymph nodes • Partial liver resection • The Whipple procedure • Liver transplantation

Other surgical procedures include drainage procedures for blocked bile ducts, such as: • Bypass surgery to create an alternative pathway around the blocked bile duct to reduce bile buildup in the liver • Endoscopic stent placement to open the blocked bile duct, allowing bile to flow into the small intestine or into a bag • Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, in which a contrast dye is injected into the liver or bile duct to create clearer X-ray images and assess the obstruction

The non-surgical options include: • Radiation therapy • Chemotherapy

Symptoms & Causes

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