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Definition

Bile duct cancer, or cholangiocarcinoma, is a malignant tumor of the bile ducts within the liver (intrahepatic), or leading from the liver to the small intestine (extrahepatic). It is a rare tumor with poor outcome for most patients.

Symptoms

A number of risk factors are associated with the development of bile duct cancer:

* Primary sclerosing cholangitis. This disease is characterized by extensive scarring of the biliary tract, sometimes associated with inflammatory bowel disease.
* Choledochal cysts. These are abnormal dilatations of the biliary tract that usually form during fetal development. There is evidence that these cysts may rarely arise during adulthood.
* Hepatolithiasis. This is the condition of stone formation within the liver (not including gallbladder stones).
* Liver flukes. Parasitic infection with certain worms is thought to be at least partially responsible for the higher prevalence of bile duct cancer in Southeast Asia.
* Thorotrast. This is a chemical that was previously injected intravenously during certain types of x rays. It is not in use anymore. Exposure to Thorotrast has been implicated in the development of cancer of the liver as well as the bile ducts.