Bile Duct Cancer (Cholangiocarcinoma): Symptoms & Signs

Bile duct cancer is a malignancy that arises in the cells that line the bile duct, the drainage system for the liver. Bile duct cancer is medically known as cholangiocarcinoma. This is a rare, slow-growing cancer that increases in frequency with increasing age.

Signs and symptoms of bile duct cancer may not appear in the early stages. In later stages, associated symptoms and signs can include yellow coloring of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), abdominal pain, weight loss, and itching. Other signs and symptoms can include dark urine, bloating, fever, and abdominal tenderness.

Cause of bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma)

Doctors do not fully understand the cause of cholangiocarcinoma, but conditions that cause chronic inflammation of the bile ducts (such as chronic liver disease, chronic hepatitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, cirrhosis, and others) increase a person's risk for developing bile duct cancer.

Other bile duct cancer symptoms and signs

• Abdominal Pain
• Bloating
• Dark Urine
• Fever
• Itching
• Weight Loss
• Yellow Coloring of the Whites of the Eyes and Skin (Jaundice)

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