What are the risk factors for bile duct cancer

Biliary duct cancer brings great physical pain and suffering to patients. We all hope to get rid of the disease. In fact, once you get bile duct cancer, it is difficult to recover and you have to face the threat it poses to your life. So, what are the causes of bile duct cancer? Let's listen to the experts' introduction.

Causes of bile duct cancer:

1. Bile duct stones and biliary infection

5%-10% of patients with bile duct stones will develop bile duct cancer. It is generally believed that the long-term mechanical stimulation of the bile duct wall by hepatobiliary stones and the resulting chronic bile duct infection and cholestasis lead to chronic proliferative inflammation of the bile duct wall, which in turn causes atypical hyperplasia of the bile duct mucosal epithelium. Pathological observations have found that atypical hyperplasia of the bile duct mucosal epithelium can gradually transition into adenocarcinoma.

2. Chronic inflammation and infection of the bile duct

Long-term chronic inflammation is the basis for the occurrence of cholangiocarcinoma, because clinically found that diseases related to cholangiocarcinoma can lead to chronic inflammation of the bile duct. Certain substances in bile (such as metabolites of bile acid) stimulate the biliary mucosa for a long time, leading to atypical epithelial hyperplasia.

3. Hepatitis virus infection

Hepatitis C virus infection Hepatitis C virus infects human cells through abnormal expression of normal regulatory mechanisms, disorders of oncogenes and cancer.

4. History of biliary surgery

Cholangiocarcinoma may occur many years after surgery and may occur in bile ducts that do not contain stones. It is mainly caused by chronic bile duct infection leading to epithelial anaplasia, often after internal biliary drainage surgery, such as duodenal sphincter bile duct surgery.

5. Clonorchis sinensis

Clonorchis sinensis mostly parasitizes the intrahepatic bile duct, but can also parasitize the extrahepatic bile duct. The worm itself and its metabolic products cause long-term stimulation to the bile duct mucosal epithelium, causing hyperplasia of the bile duct mucosa, tumor-like changes, and cancer. For example, in Southeast Asia, people who are infected with liver flukes after eating raw fish can develop bile duct infections, which can easily lead to the risk of cancer.

6. Primary sclerosing cholangitis

This is a chronic cholestatic liver disease that is closely related to inflammatory bowel disease. Primary sclerosing cholangitis is generally considered to be a precursor to bile duct cancer, and most patients are found to have bile duct cancer within 2.5 years after diagnosis.

7. Long-term intake of carcinogens

Radioactive nuclides such as thorium, chemicals such as asbestos and nitrosamines, drugs such as isoniazid, methyldopa, birth control pills, etc. may all be causative factors of bile duct cancer.

The above are the factors that cause bile duct cancer. I believe everyone has a basic understanding of these symptoms. We must also do a good job of prevention and develop good living habits. When these symptoms appear in the body, go to the hospital for examination and diagnosis in time for early detection and early treatment.