What is cholangiocarcinoma and what was Tamara Mulley's prognosis?

Cholangiocarcinoma is bile duct cancer. Tamara Mulley was diagnosed with stage 4 of this incurable cancer and was initially told she would be lucky to live for two more years.

How did Tamara Mulley's cancer treatment progress?

Tamara Mulley's initial chemotherapy extended her life by six months. When it stopped working, she enrolled in a clinical trial called First-308, which has shown signs of shrinking her tumors.

What advocacy is being done for cholangiocarcinoma patients?

Tamara Mulley is advocating for better treatment access for future cholangiocarcinoma patients, aiming to ensure they are not given a death sentence and have opportunities for the best possible outlook, especially given the cancer is under-researched and underfunded.

Home / Health / Stage 4 Cancer Patient Outlives Prognosis

Stage 4 Cancer Patient Outlives Prognosis

20 Feb

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Summary

Diagnosed at 29 with stage 4 bile duct cancer, given two years to live.
Cancer spread widely, described as lighting up 'like a Christmas tree'.
Clinical trial shows promise, offering hope beyond initial prognosis.

Stage 4 Cancer Patient Outlives Prognosis

Tamara Mulley, now 29, was diagnosed in January 2026 with stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma, also known as bile duct cancer. She was initially informed she had a maximum of two years to live, a prognosis that felt 'helpless' to her. The cancer had already metastasized to her hip, spine, collarbone, lungs, and liver.

After a challenging wait for biopsy results, which concluded in the third week of January 2026, her cholangiocarcinoma diagnosis was confirmed as incurable. Initial chemotherapy treatment extended her life by six months but eventually stopped being effective. However, Ms. Mulley then joined a clinical trial, First-308, which has shown positive results, causing some tumors to shrink.

Having surpassed her initial two-year prognosis, Ms. Mulley is proud of this achievement and highlights the importance of hope for cholangiocarcinoma, a cancer that is under-researched and underfunded. She shared her story at a charity conference in 2025 and is set to meet with MPs and NHS leaders in February 2026 to advocate for better treatment access for future patients. Data indicates two-thirds of cholangiocarcinoma patients in England do not receive treatment.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.