Long-term side effects

After completing treatment for biliary tract cancer, you may experience some long-term side effects, depending on the treatment you have received.

After surgery to the biliary tract, non-cancerous scars called strictures can form. Strictures may narrow the bile ducts, causing symptoms similar to those of the original cancer. This can usually be relieved by inserting a stent to open up the bile duct.

Bile acid malabsorption can be a long-term side effect following surgery to remove bile tract cancer. This results in increased bile in the large intestine causing chronic diarrhoea. Diarrhoea is also a common problem after gallbladder removal and can last for many years. This can make everyday life more difficult but your doctor or nurse may be able to recommend some things to try, such as avoiding certain foods (e.g. foods that are spicy, fatty or contain caffeine), using anti-diarrhoea medicines or incontinence pads.

Radiotherapy can have side effects that gradually appear over a long time, including bowel changes and diarrhoea, abdominal pain and permanent skin changes in the treatment area. It is important that you let your doctor or nurse know about any new side effects that you are experiencing, even if they occur months or years after the radiotherapy treatment.

The long-term effects of biliary tract cancer and its treatment can have a negative effect on both physical and mental quality of life, so it is important that you tell your doctor or nurse about any persistent or new symptoms. Your doctor or nurse will also work with you to develop a personalised survivorship care plan.

For further information and advice regarding how to regain your life as far as possible after treatment for cancer, see ESMO’s patient guide on survivorship (http://www.esmo.org/Patients/Patient-Guides/Patient-Guide-on-Survivorship).

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