Extrahepatic bile duct cancer refers to an uncommon type of cancer that becomes malignant and forms on the outside of the liver. When referring to the bile duct one can consider it to be like a set of tubes that joins the liver, the small intestines and the gallbladder. The basic function of the bile ducts is to transport and collect bile, a digestive juice which is produced by the liver and is used to digest fats. That area of the hepatic duct which lies on the outside of the liver is known as the extrahepatic duct.
The exact causes of extrahepatic bile duct cancers are not known; however, having some liver diseases increases the chances of it being affected with this cancer. Some of the most common risk factors for this disease include:
Any of these diseases could double the chances of contracting the cancer. However, it is not always necessary that having a liver disease would definitly lead to cancer.
Like any other liver conditions, the first symptom of bile duct cancer is jaundice and pain in the abdomen. Some of the other possible signs of this cancer include:
Some of the tests used to diagnose the condition include:
The treatment for extrahepatic bile duct cancer usually depends on the stage of cancer, the cancer’s size and its location. The treatment options also largely depend on the kind of symptoms the cancer is causing. Surgery is the most common treatment for this condition. Some of the other treatment options include chemotherapy and radiation therapy. If the tumor is inoperable, doctors recommend palliative therapies for relieving symptoms so that the patient’s quality of life is improved.
Extrahepatic bile duct cancer survival rate can be rather low. Even after surgery, a lot of patients are not able to experience complete remission. Extrahepatic bile duct cancer often recurs. Cancers found in the earlier stages are usually easier to treat and the survival and recovery rates are usually higher.
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