Is Cholangiocarcinoma cureable?

The answer to this question is a hard one. Because the signs of Cholangiocarcinoma Cancer are so discrete, the disease can spread greatly before it is found. With great technological advances, it can be surgically removed. Through chemotherapy it can also be treated or managed. It is important to do regular health check ups to make sure the bile duct, liver, and small intestine are in good condition. The disease starts in one of these functions and then spreads or drains from one down to the other. Fortunately, this disease is still rare, but has rising over the past several decades, according to Wikipedia. com. Included is a picture to help us visually see what it can look like.

Looking for Treatment?

Came across this video and if you're looking for treatment you may want to check out the Mayo Clinic. They may be just what you're looking for. But remember, make sure you pick the right Doctor that fits your personality. There are so many great clinics and practices out there and this is just one more idea to help you find the right place for you.

        Just go to:   http://www.mayoclinic.com/

Cholangiocarcinoma aka Bile Duct Cancer Awareness

Society has done a great job of helping people to be aware of breast cancer. Another cancer that also needs attention is The Cholangiocarcinoma or Bile Duct Cancer. Last month, Febuary, was Cholangiocarcinoma Cancer awareness month. This disease has been known as the "silent killer" because it can show no sympstoms, until the tumor is blocked by the bile tuct. Some symptoms are listed above. A web page to have very helpul info as well is located at http://www.livestrong.com/article/3987-need-bile-duct-cancer/. We can stop this metaphor by helping all of our friends and family become more aware of this cancer! We want to hear your voice and your experiences! Please post your thougths so we all can become more aware of this disease!

What is Cholangiocarcinoma?

Cholangiocarcinoma (often referred to as bile duct cancer) is a cancerous growth in one of the ducts that carries bile from the liver to the small intestine. Cholangiocarcinoma is rare. It occurs in approximately 2 out of 100,000 people, but rates of cholangiocarcinoma have been rising worldwide over the past several decades. Cancerous tumors of the bile ducts are usually slow-growing and do not spread quickly. However, many of these tumors are already advanced by the time they are found. A cholangiocarcinoma may start anywhere along the bile ducts. These tumors block off the bile ducts and do not allow bile to flow from the liver to the intestine. This is why one of the first symptoms noticed is jaundice. This cancer affects both men and women and most patients are older than 65(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001336/).

Prominent symptoms of cholangiocarcinoma include abnormal liver function tests, abdominal pain, jaundice, weight loss, and sometimes generalized itching, fever, or changes in stool or urine color. The disease is diagnosed through a combination of blood tests, imaging, endoscopy, and sometimes surgical exploration. Known risk factors for cholangiocarcinoma include primary sclerosing cholangitis (an inflammatory disease of the bile ducts), and congenital liver malformations.

Cholangiocarcinoma is considered to be an incurable and rapidly lethal disease unless all of its tumors can be fully resected (cut out surgically). There is no potentially curative treatment except surgery, but unfortunately most patients have advanced and inoperable disease at the time of diagnosis.  

For more information, please go to the following links:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholangiocarcinoma/