Bile duct carcinoma is relatively rare malignancy with an extremely grave prognosis. The case records of 49 patients with primary carcinoma of the bile ducts seen at the Chonnam University Hospital from 1981 to 1988 were reviewed and analyzed. The results were as fo]lows 1) The peak age distribution was in seventh decade and the average age being 61.4 years. The sex ratio of male to female was 1.9:l. 2) In 43 of the 49 patients, anatomic location was extrahepatic bile duct. The most frequently involved site among the extrahepatic bile ducts was common bile duct (38.8%). 3) The most common symptom and sign were RUQ abdominal pain (75.5%), jaundice (89.7%), respectively. 4) Serum alkaline phosphatase and r-GTP were more increased in extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma than intrahepatic bile duct carcinoma. 5) Associated disease were clonorchiasis (12.2%), choledocholithiasis (10.2%), and gall stone (4.0%). 6) The most useful diagnostic modality was percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and focal stenotic lesions (66.6%) were rnost common. 7) Operability and resectability were 26.5%, 16.3%, respectively. 8) Tubular adenocarcinoma was the most frequent histo]ogic type.