What is bile duct cancer?

Bile duct cancer starts in the bile duct. The bile duct is a thin tube that reaches from the liver to the small intestine. There are three different types of bile duct cancer, including intrahepatic, perihilar and distal bile duct cancers.

The three different groups of bile duct cancers may cause a variety of different symptoms. The first, intrahepatic bile duct cancer, develops in the liver and is treated the same way as liver cancer. The second, perihilar bile duct cancer develops in the hilum and is the most common type of bile duct cancer. Finally, distal bile duct cancers are found closer down the duct toward the small intestine. It makes up about a fifth to a third of bile duct cancers.