If it is possible, you will have an operation to remove both the tumour and your bile ducts. Your bile duct will be reconstructed using a loop of small bowel to create it.

If you have a tumour between the liver and the pancreas, surgery may be needed on either the liver or the pancreas.

If the tumour is in the lower end of the bile duct, where it joins the pancreatic duct and enters the small intestine, you will need surgery to remove part of the pancreas, the duodenum, the gall bladder and part of the bile duct.

You may also have chemotherapy afterwards, to try to stop the cancer coming back.

After the operation you may need to take insulin and enzyme supplements because your body no longer makes enough. Your doctors will explain to you what your life will be like after the operation.

If surgery is undertaken, the results are often good, but for more than half of patients the cancer will return at some stage in the future. However, long-term survival is possible.

Because of the position of the cancer, and because it may have spread, curative surgery may not be possible.

Surgical treatment of jaundice
Surgery may also be used to help relieve jaundice. A small tube (called a stent) is inserted into the bile duct if it is blocked.