For some people treatment can destroy the cancer.
Can stage 4 bile duct cancer be cured.
It cannot be distinguished how much is tumor and or scar tissue.
Bile duct cancer is a rare disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the bile ducts.
Biopsies or cell washings can be obtained to look for cancer cells.
For example if the 5 year relative survival rate for a specific stage of bile duct cancer cholangiocarcinoma is 30 it means that people who have that cancer are on average about 30 as likely as people who don t have that cancer to live for at least 5 years after being diagnosed.
If time permits it is often a good idea to seek a second opinion particularly for a rare cancer like bile duct cancer.
In others it may never go away entirely.
Went through chemo and radiation 2008 and chemo again dec 2011.
Whenever possible surgery is the main treatment for bile duct cancers.
A second opinion can give you more information and help you feel more confident about the treatment plan you choose.
Finding out the cancer cannot be cured can be very hard news to take in.
Even if your cancer can t be cured you can have surgery to treat the blocked bile ducts and relieve some of your symptoms.
You may need regular doses of chemotherapy radiation or other treatments to keep it in check.
If you have advanced bile duct cancer it might be very hard to treat.
Bile duct bypass surgery.
Dye can be injected through the tube into the bile duct opening to outline the bile ducts and detect obstruction.
It offers the only realistic chance for a cure.
Bypass surgery is an option if the tumor is blocking the common bile duct.
The cancer is on the surgical bed liver and intestine connection along with scar tissue.
A network of tubes called ducts connects the liver gallbladder and small intestine this network begins in the liver where many small ducts collect bile a fluid made by the liver to break down fats during digestion the small ducts come together to form the right and left hepatic ducts which lead.
If a blockage is found during the same procedure the gastroenterologist may be able to place a stent to keep the duct open and allow bile to drain.
Because of this doctors generally divide bile duct cancers into.
Typically the surgeon either inserts a tube to hold the duct open or.
It may not be possible to cure the cancer.
Resectable cancers those that doctors believe can be removed completely by surgery based on the results of imaging tests and other tests.
