About Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation

The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation is the only non-profit organization in North America exclusively dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected by cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer). Approximately 10,000 people in the United States are diagnosed each year with this hard-to-diagnose, difficult-to-treat, fatal type of cancer. Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare but deadly cancer that has very little name recognition or awareness. Due to this lack of visibility, it is often overlooked as symptoms can mimic those of other illnesses and diagnosis comes too late. Conventional cancer treatments remain ineffective against cholangiocarcinoma, and most people diagnosed with advanced disease have less than a 5% chance of surviving at least five years. While almost 2 out of 3 people with bile duct cancer are 65 or older, people of nearly any age can be diagnosed. There has been an alarming increase in the past decade of young individuals being diagnosed in their 20’s, 30’s or 40’s.