To begin with, bile duct is a long-tube structure that conveys bile from the liver to intestine. The biliary system or bile duct system of humans are made up of series of tubes beginning in the liver and ending in the small intestine. Bile duct cancer or cholangiocarcinoma is a type of cancer that occurs in the bile duct of a human and is a rare however an aggressive type. Typically, the tumor is diagnosed in patients more than 65 years old.
The tormenting part is that, the cancer doesn’t always shows signs and symptoms at the early stages and the symptoms are visible at later stages only.
Suspected Bile Duct Cancer Symptoms
- Weight loss and poor appetite: Patients suffering from bile duct cancer are observed to have reduced hunger and in turn, shows reduced weight.
- Fatigue and Weakness:
- Jaundice- Jaundice is considered as the most common symptom of bile cancer. As bile is prepared in liver and released into the intestine consequently when the liver can’t get exonerate the bile then jaundice occurs. Bile contains ‘bilirubin’ greenish-yellow colored chemical that causes yellowing of the skin and eyes during the course of disease. Thus, the patients of Jaundice need to see the doctor straightaway.
- Discomfort in tummy: Some people can experience discomfort in their tummy as a bile duct cancer symptom.
- High temperature: Developing fever during a bile duct cancer is a general symptom that is observed in many patients.
- Dark or yellow colored urine: Yellowing of urine occurs due to increased level of bilirubin in the blood.
- Itchiness of skin: Along with yellowing of the body parts, increased bilirubin blood level also causes itching in some cases.
- Belly (Abdominal) pain: Bile duct cancer at the more advanced stages may cause pain specifically below the ribs on the right side or belly (abdominal).
- Vomiting and Nausea: The patients, who develop infection due to bile duct blockage, generally show these symptoms in collaboration with fever.
- Greasy Stool: Besides the changed color of urine, bilirubin also contributes to the dark brown color of bowel movements as well. A bile duct patient may also experience problem in digestion of fatty foods, due to the blockage of the release of pancreatic juice and bile by cancer. This results in greasy, bulky and pale stool.
- Abnormal liver tests
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Most of the symptoms and signs of bile duct cancer are common and could occur due to reasons other than bile duct cancer thus it becomes difficult to diagnose the disease at its earlier stage.
Tests for the Diagnosis of Bile Duct Cancer
Ultrasound, spiral CT scan, endoscopic ultrasound sacn (EUS), CT (computerized tomography), MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging), PTC (percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography), ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography), laparotomy, angiogram and biopsy are the tests used to diagnose bile duct cancer.
Accordingly, it is always important to reach out a physician whenever any of such symptoms occur.
See more details about Bile duct cancer from Diet and Fitness.