How It Spreads Bile duct cancer tends to spread into the adjacent liver, along the bile duct surface and through the lymph system to lymph nodes in the region of the liver (porta hepatis). Tumors in the bile duct leading from the gall bladder to the common bile duct (cystic duct) can spread to involve the gall bladder. Ultimately, other lymph nodes may become involved, as well as other organs within the abdomen.
What Causes It The cause is unknown. People with chronic inflammatory processes, such as ulcerative colitis or parasitic infections of the bile ducts, are at higher risk for developing this cancer. But no one cause has been clearly demonstrated.
