Treatment for bile duct cancer

There are things you can do to help you feel more in control of your health when preparing for treatment. This is called prehabilitation or prehab.

Treatment for bile duct cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, targeted cancer drugs and immunotherapy. Which treatments you have depends on a number of factors.

You might have surgery to remove bile duct cancer if it hasn't spread elsewhere in your body. Your healthcare team will make sure you are well enough for the operation.

Chemotherapy uses anti cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. You might have chemotherapy after surgery or to help control the cancer if it has spread.

Targeted cancer drugs work by targeting the differences in cancer cells that help them to grow and survive. Other drugs help the immune system to attack cancer. These are called immunotherapies. Which one you have may depend on gene changes in the cancer cells.

Radiotherapy uses high energy x-rays to treat cancer cells. It isn't a common treatment for bile duct cancer. You may have it to help control symptoms of bile duct cancer, or to areas the cancer has spread to.

Your healthcare team can give you medicines to help control some of the symptoms of bile duct cancer. There are also practical things you can try.

Bile duct cancer can block your bile duct making your skin and eyes go yellow (jaundice). Your doctor might put a small tube called a stent into your bile duct to relieve the blockage.

You have regular tests and follow ups if you have bile duct cancer, or after surgery to remove the cancer. How often you have the appointments depends on your situation.