Biliary tract malignancy is a type of malignancy that forms in the biliary system, in which the bile duct system is connected to the liver, gallbladder and small intestine and delivers bile (a fluid that helps digest fats) to the small intestine. Although the disease is relatively rare, approximately 15,000 people are diagnosed with biliary tract cancer each year in the United States. What are the types of biliary tract malignancies? Biliary tract malignancies are usually divided into 3 types: intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer), extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and gallbladder cancer. In some cases, patients with peribiliary cancer are also grouped with other subtypes of these types. The tissue surrounding the jugular abdomen is located at the junction of the bold tract and the small intestine. How is bile duct cancer usually diagnosed? For intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, early symptoms are usually absent. When symptoms appear, they are often due to a large mass in the liver that causes pain in the upper abdomen, or metastatic pain (tumor spread to other locations). If the cancer involves the gut, the patient may also experience weight loss and early hunger pangs. Similarly, a spreading intrahepatic bile duct tumor may also lead to metastatic pain or pain or weight loss in other local organs involved. When these tumors appear early, they are usually caused by jaundice, which can block the bile ducts and turn the skin yellow. Other symptoms include clay-like stools, soy sauce urine and itching. Gallbladder cancer is often not easily diagnosed in its early stages. It is also sometimes seen in patients who have undergone cholecystectomy for infection or gallstones, but these patients are often diagnosed because of symptoms of metastatic cancer. Gallbladder cancer usually spreads mainly to the abdominal cavity, so patients may experience abdominal pain or weight loss. If the bile ducts are blocked, jaundice may also occur. There is no screening test for gallbladder cancer, and the symptoms that do present are relatively nonspecific. In some patients, gallbladder cancer is diagnosed after blood tests (usually including liver function tests, or CT scans of the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts). How is bile duct cancer usually treated? If the disease is diagnosed early, the first step is usually surgery, followed by radiotherapy. Surgery may include partial resection of the liver, biliary tract or gallbladder. In some cases, chemotherapy or radiation therapy is often used if surgery is not possible to remove the tumor. All of the above diseases are complex cancers and require complex treatment approaches. This is why we need a multidisciplinary medical team to treat patients in a specialized manner. This multidisciplinary team consists of surgeons, radiologic oncologists, and clinical oncologists who work together to provide patient care and help patients with individualized treatment plans.