Bile duct cancer is a malignant (cancerous) growth that grows in the bile ducts. It is also known as cholangiocarcinoma and is very rare in the UK.

The bile ducts transfer bile from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine. Bile is a greenish-yellow digestive fluid produced by the liver that breaks down the fat in the food we eat. Together the gallbladder and bile ducts are called the biliary system.

Bile duct cancer that starts inside the liver is known as intrahepatic and is usually treated the same way as liver cancer. Growths that begin outside the liver are called extrahepatic.

Like liver cancer, bile duct cancer is more common in people who have inflammatory bowel conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Bile duct cancer can also be a result of defects present from birth. However, in most cases the cause is not known.

Treatment will depend on a number of things, including the age and health of the patient and the size of the growth. If the growth is small and can be operated on, it may be surgically removed along with the bile ducts. The ducts that are left must be attached to the small intestine so that bile can move freely again.

If the cancer has spread, the surgeon may need to remove parts of other internal organs that have been affected, such as the pancreas. 

Radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or both are also sometimes used to destroy any cancerous cells that remain.