Bile Duct Cancer

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:

• Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma occurs in the bile ducts located within the liver
• Hilar cholangiocarcinoma occurs in the bile ducts just outside of the liver, at the junction where the right and left hepatic ducts join together
• Extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma occurs in the bile duct outside of the liver

Bile duct cancers are difficult to treat. Fortunately, they are uncommon.