If a biliary tract cancer spreads

Cancer cells can spread from the biliary tract 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. When cancer starts in gallbladder cells, it's called primary gallbladder cancer. When cancer starts in bile duct cells, it's called primary bile duct cancer. Gallbladder or bile duct cancer can spread to:

• lymph nodes near the biliary tract
• the bile ducts or gallbladder, if not the primary cancer site
• liver and the blood vessels of the liver
• pancreas
• small intestine, usually the first part (duodenum)
• stomach
• colon
• distant lymph nodes
• lung
• bone
• brain