Cholangiocarcinoma Affects About 8,000 People Annually in the U.s., Often Detected Too Late for Surgery

Austin Towle announced on TikTok that his sister Sydney Towle, a 26-year-old influencer documenting her battle with rare bile duct cancer, has been moved to hospice care. In a post shared Tuesday, Austin said Sydney is "surrounded by her friends and family" as she transitions to comfort-focused care for cholangiocarcinoma, diagnosed about three years ago. He shared a photo of loved ones at her bedside and thanked followers for their support.

Cholangiocarcinoma affects about 8,000 people annually in the U.S., often detected too late for surgery. Two weeks ago, Sydney told her 1.1 million TikTok followers she was preparing for a clinical trial involving tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy. Austin, with over 90,000 followers, has been posting updates; last month he said she was "doing okay" and went for a walk.

In a July 21 update, Sydney said from her hospital bed: "It feels weird hearing myself talk because I feel like a different person at this point just because I've been on so much pain medication and other stuff. She added, "Every day is extremely challenging with the pain that I am constantly experiencing, but I have hope that I can do this. In May, she refused her oncologist's recommendation for end-of-life care, saying, "We are not at the point where we're giving up.

She wrote on Instagram, "My rope is not finished yet. I am tying more on with the love of my family and friends and we will move on.