Only a small number of bile duct cancers are found before they have spread too far to be removed by surgery.
The bile ducts are deep inside the body, so small tumors can’t be seen or felt during routine physical exams. There are no blood tests or other tests that can reliably detect bile duct cancers early enough to be useful as screening tests. (Screening is testing for cancer in people without any symptoms.) Because of this, most bile duct cancers are found only after the cancer has grown enough to cause signs or symptoms. The most common symptom is jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes, which is caused by a blocked bile duct.
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Last Revised: July 3, 2018
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