Observe Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month in February. To raise awareness, the American Association for Cancer Research plays a big part in educating the public about gallbladder and bile duct cancer. Gallbladder cancer and bile duct cancer are relatively rare forms of cancer.

Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month educates the public that the gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ in the abdomen. It is located below the liver and collects and stores bile. Bile is a fluid made by the liver to aid with digestion of fats. The bile ducts are thin tube-like vessels that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine.

According to data from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) an estimated 12,190 people living in the United States are expected to be diagnosed with gallbladder cancer in 2018.

Another type of bile duct cancer is extrahepatic bile duct cancer. This is a rare disease in which cancer cells form in the ducts that are outside the liver. Cancer can also develop in the bile ducts inside the liver. Cholangiocarcinoma is an alternate name for bile duct cancer.

To raise awareness, NCI-funded researchers work to advance prevention, early detection, and treat liver cancer in adults and children. For example, researchers are investigating biomarkers, because they are helpful in evaluating how aggressive a cancer is or whether it is likely to respond to a particular therapy.