Bile duct and gallbladder cancers

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ located just underneath the liver. The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile, a fluid made by the liver that helps digest fats in the small intestine. The gallbladder contracts during digestion, releasing bile into the small intestine.

Bile ducts within the liver join together to form one main bile duct, located immediately outside the liver, which carries bile to the small intestine. The main bile duct is called the common hepatic duct. The cystic duct joins the gallbladder to the common hepatic duct, and the combined duct is called the common bile duct.

Gallbladder and bile duct cancers are relatively rare, there are about 9,500 new cases of diagnosed each year in the U.S.

Treatment options

Treatment depends on the stage of the disease and your health. We will work with you to determine the most appropriate therapy. Surgery is the most common treatment option for gallbladder and bile duct cancer, and offers the best chance for a cure. However, if you are not a candidate for surgery, we offer additional treatment options available.

Bile duct surgery
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A surgical procedure aimed specifically at removing cancerous tumors or growths in the bile duct.

Gallbladder surgery
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A surgical procedure aimed specifically at removing cancerous tumors or growths in the gallbladder.

Minimally invasive treatment options
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Depending on the severity of your cancer, our specialists may be able to provide many minimally invasive treatments that can help.

Partial hepatectomy
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A surgery designed to remove cancerous tumors in the bile duct, gallbladder or liver. This procedure is also known as a resection.

Whipple procedure
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A complex surgery that removes the right side of the pancreas (head) and other nearby structures, then with re-connection of the intestine to the remaining part of the pancreas, bile ducts, and stomach to allow normal digestion of food.

A Powerful Second Opinion

If you have been diagnosed with cancer and would like a consultation or second opinion.