Final answer:
Cholangiocarcinoma is defined as a malignancy of the bile ducts and can be managed with a surgical procedure known as the Whipple procedure. Conditions related to bile duct function, such as primary sclerosing cholangitis and primary biliary cirrhosis, are often autoimmune in nature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The malignancy of the extrahepatic or intrahepatic ducts, also termed primary bile duct cancer, is known as cholangiocarcinoma. One of the management options for cholangiocarcinoma is the Whipple procedure, which is a complex surgical approach that involves the removal of part of the pancreas, the first part of the small intestine (duodenum), the gallbladder and the bile duct.
Related conditions affecting the bile ducts include primary sclerosing cholangitis, which is an inflammatory disease of the bile duct likely autoimmune in nature, and primary biliary cirrhosis, which is an autoimmune disease of the small bile ducts. Biliary tree obstruction, such as that caused by bile duct cancer, can lead to blockage resulting in conditions like choluric jaundice where conjugated bile pigments regurgitate into the hepatic veins and lymphatics, appearing in the blood and urine.