This list of risk factors includes: certain disease of the liver or bile ducts; chronic irritation or inflammation of the bile ducts; parasite infections; obesity; family history; environmental factors (exposure to carcinogens or radioactive chemicals); and certain lifestyle behaviors.
Again, although all of these risk factors can increase your chances of developing bile duct cancer, having one or more of them does guarantee you will develop cancer. Open communication with your doctor will help you to better understand these risk factors as they relate to your overall health. Please discuss with your doctor any of these factors that you feel might put you at an increased risk for cancer.
Lifestyle, Environmental and Health Factors
- Excessive alcohol use and/or cirrhosis of the liver
- Smoking
- Exposure to hazardous chemicals
- Dioxins, nitrosamines, and PCBs
- Thorotrast (intravenous chemical previously used for certain X-rays, now banned)
- Water-borne parasitic infections
- Liver flukes (Clonorchis sinensis or Opisthorchis viverrini)
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Choledochal cysts
Posts
