Gallbladder Cancer

Gallbladder cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the gallbladder.

Gallbladder cancer is a rare disease in which malignant (cancer) cells are found in the tissues of the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that lies just under the liver in the upper abdomen. The gallbladder stores bile, a fluid made by the liver to digest fat. When food is being broken down in the stomach and intestines, bile is released from the gallbladder through a tube called the common bile duct, which connects the gallbladder and liver to the first part of the small intestine.
The wall of the gallbladder has 3 main layers of tissue.

• Mucosal (innermost) layer.

• Muscularis (middle, muscle) layer.

• Serosal (outer) layer.

Being female can increase the risk of developing gallbladder cancer.

Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Risk factors for gallbladder cancer include the following:

• Being female.

• Being Native American.

Possible signs of gallbladder cancer include jaundice, pain, and fever.

These and other symptoms may be caused by gallbladder cancer. Other conditions may cause the same symptoms. A doctor should be consulted if any of the following problems occur:
•           Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).

•           Pain above the stomach.

•           Fever.

•           Nausea and vomiting.

•           Bloating.

•           Lumps in the abdomen
Gallbladder cancer is difficult to detect (find) and diagnose early.

Certain factors affect the prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options.

The prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options depend on the following:

• The stage of the cancer (whether the cancer has spread from the gallbladder to other places in the body).

• Whether the cancer can be completely removed by surgery.

• The type of gallbladder cancer (how the cancer cell looks under a microscope).

• Whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred (come back).

Treatment may also depend on the age and general health of the patient and whether the cancer is causing symptoms.
Gallbladder cancer can be cured only if it is found before it has spread, when it can be removed by surgery. If the cancer has spread, palliative treatment can improve the patient’s quality of life by controlling the symptoms and complications of this disease.

Stages of Gallbladder Cancer

Tests and procedures to stage gallbladder cancer are usually done at the same time as diagnosis.
See the General Information section for a description of tests and procedures used to detect, diagnose, and stage gallbladder cancer.

The following stages are used for gallbladder cancer:

Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ)
In stage 0, abnormal cells are found in the innermost (mucosal) layer of the gallbladder. These abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue. Stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ.

Stage I
In stage I, cancer has formed. Stage I is divided into stage IA and stage IB.

• Stage IA: Cancer has spread beyond the innermost (mucosal) layer to the connective tissue or to the muscle (muscularis) layer.

• Stage IB: Cancer has spread beyond the muscle layer to the connective tissue around the muscle.

Stage II
Stage II is divided into stage IIA and stage IIB.

Stage IIA: Cancer has spread beyond the visceral peritoneum (tissue that covers the gallbladder) and/or to the liver and/or one nearby organ (such as the stomach, small intestine, colon, pancreas, or bile ducts outside the liver).

• Stage IIB: Cancer has spread:

• beyond the innermost layer to the connective tissue and to nearby lymph nodes; or

• to the muscle layer and nearby lymph nodes; or

• beyond the muscle layer to the connective tissue around the muscle and to nearby lymph nodes; or

• through the visceral peritoneum (tissue that covers the gallbladder) and/or to the liver and/or to one nearby organ (such as the stomach, small intestine, colon, pancreas, or bile ducts outside the liver), and to nearby lymph nodes.

Stage III
In stage III, cancer has spread to a main blood vessel in the liver or to nearby organs and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Stage IV
In stage IV, cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes and/or to organs far away from the gallbladder.