The Christie Private Care
Wilmslow Road M20 4BX Manchester
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
LOC at Chelsea
102 Sydney Street SW3 6NJ London
LOC at The Harley Street Clinic
81-83 Harley Street W1G 8PP London
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.