Bile Duct Cancer : In Depth - Diagnosis and...
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If you're having symptoms similar to those of bile duct cancer, your doctor will want to know why. You should undergo a complete medical evaluation. Your doctor is likely to ask you questions about your:
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Abdominal ultrasound is an imaging test that uses sound waves to form pictures of your abdominal organs. It can help detect organ problems, such as gallstones, kidney stones, or liver disease.
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ERCP stands for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. This procedure is used to view the common bile duct to help locate and treat blockages in the duct. It may also be used to locate pancreas problems.
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Bile duct cancer is a rare type of cancer that starts in the bile duct. There are very few things scarier than being told you have cancer. You may feel like you're in shock. You may not even want to believe what the doctor has told you. And there are probably so many questions you want to ask but think you can't because you don't know where to start.
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Your doctor took a biopsy from your bile duct to confirm that you have cancer. Your doctor may request other tests to learn more about your specific type of cancer and to pinpoint its location. This helps decide on the treatment that is likely to be most effective and appropriate for you. Imaging tests help your doctor see what's happening inside you. These imaging tests help your doctor see the extent of the bile duct cancer. You may have one or more of these tests.
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Computed tomography (CT) is a test that combines x-rays and computer scans. The result is a detailed picture that can show problems with soft tissues (such as the lining of your sinuses), organs (such as your kidneys or lungs), and bones.
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that lets your doctor see detailed pictures of the inside of your body. MRI combines the use of strong magnets and radio waves to form an MRI image.
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Pathophysiology is the way a cancer tends to grow if it spreads from the area of the original tumor. Bile duct cancer tends to spread to the liver or along the common bile duct to nearby lymph nodes. Compared with other types of cancer, bile duct cancer appears less likely to spread to distant parts of the body. When it does spread to another part of the body, it is not considered a new cancer. It is called metastatic bile duct cancer.
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Stage is the word doctors use to communicate the size of a cancerous tumor and where and how far it has spread. The first place cancer is found in the body is called the primary site or primary tumor. When a cancer spreads, it is said to have metastasized. There are 2 types of stages of cancer, clinical and pathological.
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Survival rates show the percentage of people with a certain type and stage of cancer who survive it for a certain period of time after they are diagnosed. A 5-year survival rate is the percentage of people who are alive 5 years after they are diagnosed. These are the people it includes.
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