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If bile duct cancer spreads
Cancer cells can spread from the bile duct to other parts of the body. This spread is called metastasis.
Understanding how a type of cancer usually grows and spreads helps your healthcare team plan your treatment and future care. If bile duct cancer spreads, it can spread to the following:
- liver
- nearby lymph nodes (regional lymph nodes)
- gallbladder
- pancreas
- first part of the small intestine (duodenum)
- other structures in the abdomen, such as the peritoneum
- lymph nodes far from the bile ducts
Bile duct cancer can sometimes spread to the bones, brain or lungs, but that is uncommon.
peritoneum
The membrane that lines the walls of the abdomen and pelvis (parietal peritoneum), and covers and supports most of the abdominal organs (visceral peritoneum).
Making progress in the cancer fight
The 5-year cancer survival rate has increased from 25% in the 1940s to 60% today.
