Gallbladder Cancer

What is gallbladder cancer?

They are masses that originate from the mucosa (cells) lining the gallbladder and grow from the inside to the outside. The tumor overcomes the wall of the gallbladder layer by layer. The stage of the disease is also determined depending on this progression.

Is gallbladder cancer caught at an early stage?

Hardly. However, when the gallbladder is taken and examined for other reasons such as stones, mud or inflammation, it is caught incidentally.

What are the treatment options for gallbladder cancer according to its stage?

• Stage I is the earliest cancer and the removal of the gallbladder will be sufficient for treatment.
• With stage II, the cancer has progressed one layer deeper in the gallbladder wall. At this stage, it can access capillary blood and lymphatic vessels and spread to the immediate environment. In these patients, it is not enough to remove only the gallbladder, but also the gallbladder bed needs to be removed widely.
• In advanced stages, the size of the surgery increases even more. Since the spread is usually deep into the liver, major liver resections may be necessary.
• Surgery may not be performed in advanced gallbladder tumors that have spread to surrounding organs. There is no chance of effective treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Palliative treatments are used to reduce the complaints of the patients.

Is there a relationship between gallbladder cancer and gallstones?

There is no scientific data that gallstones alone are the cause of cancer. However, there is also a claim that gallstones (especially those over 2 cm) pave the way for the development of cancer by creating a continuous friction effect on the gallbladder wall. By this, neoplastic changes in the cells lining the gallbladder wall may occur due to recurrent inflammatory events.

Why is survival poor for gallbladder cancer?

When diagnosed, it is usually at a late stage. It can metastasize to the lymph nodes and the inside of the liver on which it rests, even in the early stages.

Does chemo or radiotherapy play a role in the treatment of gallbladder cancer?

There are cases where surgery is performed after the tumor size is regressed with radiotherapy. Chemotherapy, on the other hand, does not destroy cancer on its own, but it can help prevent cancer recurrence after surgical treatment.