Is cholangiocarcinoma a slow growing cancer?

Cholangiocarcinomas are usually slow-growing tumors that spread locally via the lymphatic system. Treatment and long-term prognosis are dependent upon the location of the mass.

What is the survival rate for cholangiocarcinoma?

If the cancer is diagnosed in an early stage, the 5-year survival rate is 15%. If the cancer has spread to the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year survival rate is 16%. If the cancer has spread to a distant part of the body, the 5-year survival rate is 2%. The 5-year survival rate for intrahepatic bile duct cancer is 9%.

Can you live without your bile duct?

You can live normally without a gallbladder, but you might need to make some changes in your diet. A common type of gallbladder surgery, called laparoscopic cholecystectomy, is done through a few small cuts in the abdomen.

How long can you live with blocked bile duct?

Death from obstructive jaundice in the first few weeks of its course is quite rare and is only occasionally observed. After a period varying from four to six months, however, patients suffering from occlusion of the common bile duct usually deteriorate rapidly and die.

How serious is bile duct surgery?

Possible risks and side effects of bile duct surgery All surgery carries some risk, including the possibility of bleeding, blood clots, infections, complications from anesthesia, pneumonia, and even death in rare cases.

What is the terminal stage of cancer?

One of the most common terminal stages of cancer is cachexia. This condition is the extreme wasting — weight loss — observed in people with advanced cancer. Wasting is the loss of lean muscle mass and other leans tissues in the body.

What is the life expectancy of bile duct cancer?

In patients who have bile duct cancer located in the liver hilum, 40%-60% of patients undergo surgery that completely removes the tumor and the average survival is 24 months. For patients with tumor in the same location, but cannot be completely removed, average survival is 21 months.

Can cholangiocarcinoma be cured?

SURGERY Surgery to completely remove the cancer is currently the only potentially curative treatment for cholangiocarcinoma. This involves a major operation and, often, because the disease is too far advanced, or the patient is already too poorly, surgery is not possible.

What is the prognosis for bile duct cancer?

For people with early-stage intrahepatic bile duct cancer, the 5-year survival rate is 15%. If the cancer has spread to the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year survival rate is 6%.