The liver is the largest internal organ in our body. It performs more than 500 different vital functions. One of which is the liver acts like a detoxifier of the body, helping the body to get rid of toxins. It has a system of tubes within it called the bile ducts which collects a chemical called bile that is produced by the liver. Bile is needed by us to help us to digest fat, along with the help of enzymes produced by the pancreas. This bile is transported by the bile ducts into a main tube outside the liver called the common bile duct, which connects the liver to the small intestine (duodenum).
The gallbladder is a small bag-like organ that is attached to the common bile duct. Its function is to store excess bile.
Bile Duct Cancer is cancer of the cells lining the bile ducts. The scientific term for this kind of cancer is called cholangiocarcinoma.
Bile duct cancers are classified based on which part of the bile ducts the cancer occurs:
Bile duct cancers are difficult to treat. Fortunately, they are uncommon.
A person should seek urgent medical attention if he notices his urine to be dark coloured and/or his stools to be pale in colour. These are usually the signs that accompany jaundice. Sometimes a close friend or relative may notice a yellowish discoloration of the person’s eye or skin. Another peculiar symptom that accompanies jaundice is a generalized itch of the body.
When a person exhibits one or more of these symptoms, he should consult his doctor to perform a blood test to check if he indeed has jaundice.
Treatment will depend on how advanced the cancer is and the health of the patient. Bile duct cancer is a difficult cancer to treat and a multi-disciplinary approach is needed to determine the most appropriate treatment for the person. Surgery offers the best chance of a long-term cure. Other treatment options include chemotherapy, biological therapy and radiation therapy.
In cases where surgery is not possible, and the person is jaundiced, doctors may stent the bile ducts so as to relieve the jaundice.
Cancers, including cancer of the bile duct, are due to genetic mutations of the cells.
As a result of these gene mutations, the bile duct cells start to multiply uncontrollably. These cells also have the ability to detach from the bile duct and invade into the blood stream and spread to other parts of the body, or invade into the adjacent organs around the bile duct.
What are the risk factors of developing bile duct cancer?
Colorectal & General Surgeon
Upper Gastrointestinal, Bariatric & General Surgeon
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Our clinics will be closed from 16 – 18 Feb for CNY
Our clinic at Mt Alvernia Medical Centre A will be relocating from #06-05 to #03-03 (within the same building) on Friday, 26 Sep afternoon.
Our telephone line 6353 4855 will be temporarily unavailable from 12:00pm – 6:00pm on 26 September. During this period, you may reach out to our other clinics for assistance:
We will begin operations at our new premises (#03-03) from Tuesday, 30 Sep onwards.
We look forward to serving you at our new clinic!
Nexus Surgical clinics at Mt Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Parkway East Medical Centre and Mt Alvernia Medical Centre will be closed on 28 January 2025 for Lunar New Year celebrations, while our clinic at Mt Elizabeth Orchard Medical Centre remains open from 0900-1300 hours on 28 January 2025.
Please leave a message in our voice mails and we will respond to you as soon as we can when we resume our clinics on 31 January 2025. If you require any urgent assistance, kindly go to the Urgent Care Centre of any hospitals or contact your doctor through the Emergency Answering Service. Our team at Nexus Surgical would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a Happy & Prosperous Lunar New Year with good health in the Year of the Snake!
Nexus Surgical will be away from 17 to 20 October 2024 for our Annual Company Retreat. The aim of our retreat is to review and to recharge, so that we may serve you better.
Our clinics at Mount Elizabeth Orchard, Mount Elizabeth Novena, Mount Alvernia and Parkway East hospitals will therefore be closed during this period. In the meantime, if you require any urgent assistance, kindly contact us through our Answering Service at +65 6333 5550.
We thank you for your understanding and patience for any inconvenience.
