What is Extrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer?
Extrahepatic bile duct cancer is a rare disease in which malignant (cancerous) cells form in the tissues of the extrahepatic bile duct. Part of the biliary system, the bile duct is a tube that connects the liver and the gallbladder to the small intestine. The right and left hepatic bile ducts lead out of the liver and join to become the common hepatic duct. The extrahepatic bile duct is the part of the common hepatic duct that is outside the liver. Fluid called bile, which is made by the liver and breaks down fats during digestion, is stored in the gallbladder. When food is being digested, bile is released from the gallbladder through the common bile duct to the first part of the small intestine. The bile ducts and gallbladder make up the biliary tract.
