Cholangio carcinoma (bile duct cancer)

Cholangio carcinoma is a malignant tumor in the liver that originates from the bile duct cells. The cause of this rare form of cancer is unknown. The symptoms are weight loss and jaundice, although these appear late. The diagnosis can be made with a CT scan or ultrasound.

The treatment of choice is surgery (operation). Unfortunately, this is not always possible because the tumor is usually in a difficult place and therefore difficult to remove. Such a tumor is often discovered late and metastases are already present. Then surgery is no longer always possible. In these cases, the treatment consists of treating the symptoms, such as placing a drain (thin tube) or stent in the bile ducts to allow bile flow again. Radiation or chemotherapy may also be considered.