Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

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| N | | O | | P | | Q | | R | | S | | T | | U | | V | | W | | X | | Y |

Treatment of Cancer of the bile duct

Treatment will depend on a number of things, including the age and health of the patient and the size of the growth.  If the growth is small and can be operated on, it may be surgically removed along with the bile ducts.  The ducts that are left must be attached to the small intestine so that bile can move freely again.

If the cancer has spread, the surgeon may need to remove parts of other internal organs that have been affected, such as the pancreas. 

Radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or both are also sometimes used to destroy any cancerous cells that remain.