Gallbladder and bile duct cancers are rare cancers of the biliary tract, which is composed of organs and ducts that participate in the secretion, storage and delivery of bile into the duodenum, the beginning portion of the small intestine.  Tumors that originate in the gallbladder or bile duct start in the innermost layer and spread through the outer layers.  These cancers can be cured with surgery only if found before they have spread.  If the cancer has spread, we will be with you every step of the way with treatment options to control pain and allow you to live your life to the fullest.

Early diagnosis is the key.  Surgical removal by our team of liver surgeons can be curative.  In selected cases, a multidisciplinary approach of radiotherapy/chemotherapy by our liver cancer specialists, and subsequent liver transplantation may be curative.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Among the factors that may increase your risk for gallbladder or bile duct tumors are gallstones, bile duct stones, age, sex (women are twice as vulnerable as men), race (American Indians are five times as vulnerable), bile duct abnormalities, gallbladder polyps, diet, obesity, exposure to hazardous chemicals and toxic substances, primary sclerosing cholangitis, ulcerative colitis and parasitic infections.

Symptoms may include abdominal pain, nausea and/or vomiting, jaundice, gallbladder enlargement, and less common occurrences such as weight loss, severe itching and black stools.   It is important to know that some of these symptoms may be caused by non-cancerous diseases.

Your physician diagnoses gallbladder and bile duct cancers with a history and physical exam, blood tests, one or more imaging tests (such as endoscopic procedures, ultrasound, angiography, a CT scan and MRI scan), and a biopsy.

Treatment Options

If caught early, before it has spread, gallbladder cancer can be cured by surgery that removes the entire gallbladder. If a bile duct tumor can be removed surgically, bypass procedures may be performed to prevent obstruction of the gastrointestinal and biliary tracts and to relieve patient symptoms.  Additional treatment may be provided to relieve the discomfort of jaundice, a build-up of bilirubin that is seen with characteristic yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes.

Many operations require liver section, a complex operation requiring special expertise.  At UCSD, surgical oncologists (cancer surgeons) Drs. Andrew Lowy and Michael Bouvet, as well as liver transplant surgeons Drs. Marquis Hart and Ajai Khanna, have unique skill in these procedures. 

We’re With You Throughout the Journey

Whether your disease is treatable or in its end stages, we’ll be there for you with options for proven care that alleviates your discomfort while giving you the best quality life. The Howell Program, for example, offers palliative care, which specializes in symptom management, pain control, and psychological, spiritual and social problems. The goal of palliative care is the achievement of the best quality of life for patients and their families, not only at the end of life but also while you are still receiving treatment.