Bile Duct and Gallbladder Cancers

Basic lifestyle changes can make a big difference.

To help lower your risk of bile duct and gallbladder cancers, you should:

• Avoid smoking
• Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all
• Eat a high-fiber diet (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains)
• Exercise regularly
• Maintain a healthy weight

When there are symptoms, they can include:

• A swollen or firm lump in the belly
• Feeling bloated
• Feeling tired all the time
• Itchy skin
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea, fever, or both
• Pain in the upper right abdomen
• Pale-colored stools and dark urine
• Unexplained weight loss
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)

If you suspect a bile duct obstruction, it’s important to know that, except for gallstones, cancer is the most common cause. Often, biliary cancers have no symptoms. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your primary care doctor immediately.

By providing a thorough examination of your bile ducts (cholangiography), our specialists can detect signs of biliary cancer. Our specialists use a combination of imaging, endoscopic, and laboratory tests to assess biliary cancer risk, which may include:

Biopsy

A procedure in which tissue samples are removed for examination under a microscope.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)

This procedure combines X-rays and an endoscope—a long, flexible, lighted tube—to detect abnormalities.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)

This test uses a thin, flexible tube with an ultrasound probe to create detailed images of the bile ducts and surrounding tissues.

Imaging

CT, MRI, PET scans, and ultrasounds create detailed internal images to detect abnormalities.

Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)

This advanced MRI provides detailed images of the bile ducts, pancreas, and gallbladder.

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC)

With this procedure, contrast dye is injected through the skin into the liver’s bile ducts to identify blockages or abnormalities.

Based on advanced radiologic imaging and other diagnostic tools, our specialists will review your options and help you choose the treatment plan that best fits your needs. Anytime we can, we will use minimally invasive options to get you back on your feet quicker.

Bile duct and gallbladder cancer treatments may include:

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of powerful drugs to kill cancer cells, slow their growth, or prevent them from spreading. It is often used in combination with other treatments.

Partial hepatectomy

Also known as a resection, this surgery is designed to remove cancerous tumors in the bile duct, gallbladder, or liver.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is typically used when surgery isn't an option. It uses high-energy rays to target and kill cancer cells.

Stent placement

A small tube (stent) is inserted into the bile duct or gallbladder, allowing bile to flow from the liver to the intestine.

Surgery

Offering the chance for the best outcome, surgical treatment is the primary option for gallbladder and bile duct cancer. Common procedures include cholecystectomy (complete removal of the gallbladder), partial hepatectomy, stent placement, and the Whipple procedure.

Whipple procedure

The right side of the pancreas (head) and other nearby structures are removed, with the intestine reconnected to the remaining part of the pancreas, bile ducts, and stomach to allow normal digestion of food.