Gallbladder Cancer
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Description
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What is cancer of the gallbladder?
Cancer of the gallbladder, an uncommon cancer, is a disease in which cancer
(malignant) 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.
Bile, a fluid made by the liver, is stored in the gallbladder. When food is
being broken down (digested) in the stomach and the intestines, bile is
released from the gallbladder through a tube called the bile duct that connects
the gallbladder and liver to the first part of the small intestine. The bile
helps to digest fat.
Cancer of the gallbladder is more common in women than in men. It is also more
common in people who have hard clusters of material in their gallbladder
(gallstones).
Cancer of the gallbladder is hard to find (diagnose) because the gallbladder is
hidden behind other organs in the abdomen. Cancer of the gallbladder is
sometimes found after the gallbladder is removed for other reasons. The
symptoms of cancer of the gallbladder may be like other diseases of the
gallbladder, such as gallstones or infection, and there may be no symptoms in
the early stages. A doctor should be seen if the following symptoms persist:
- Pain above the stomach
- Loss of weight without trying
- Fever
- Yellowing of
the skin (jaundice)
If there are symptoms, a doctor may order x-rays and other tests to see what is
wrong. However, usually the cancer cannot be found unless the patient has
surgery. During surgery, a cut is made in the abdomen so that the gallbladder
and other nearby organs and tissues can be examined.
The chance of recovery (prognosis) and choice of treatment depend on the stage
of cancer (whether it is just in the gallbladder or has spread to other places)
and on the patient’s general health.
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Stage Explanation
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Stages of cancer of the gallbladder
Once cancer of the gallbladder is found, more tests will be done to find out if
cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. A doctor needs to know
the stage to plan treatment. The following stages are used for cancer of the
gallbladder:
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Localized
Cancer is found only in the tissues that make up the wall of the gallbladder,
and it can be removed completely in an operation.
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Unresectable
All of the cancer cannot be removed in an operation. Cancer has spread to the
tissues around the gallbladder, such as the liver, stomach, pancreas, or
intestine and/or to lymph nodes in the area. (Lymph nodes are small,
bean-shaped structures that are found throughout the body. They produce and
store infection-fighting cells.)
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Recurrent
Recurrent disease means that the cancer has come back (recurred) after it has
been treated. It may come back in the gallbladder or in another part of the
body.
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Treatment Option Overview
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How cancer of the gallbladder is treated
There are treatments for all patients with cancer of the gallbladder. Three
treatments are used:
- Surgery (taking out the cancer or relieving symptoms of the cancer in an
operation)
- Radiation therapy (using high-dose x-rays to kill cancer cells)
- Chemotherapy (using drugs to kill cancer)
Surgery is a common treatment of cancer of the gallbladder if it has not spread
to surrounding tissues. The doctor may take out the gallbladder in an
operation called a cholecystectomy. Part of the liver around the gallbladder
and lymph nodes in the abdomen may also be removed.
If the cancer has spread and cannot be removed, the doctor may do surgery to
relieve symptoms. If the cancer is blocking the bile ducts and bile builds up
in the gallbladder, the doctor may do surgery to go around (bypass) the cancer.
During this operation, the doctor will cut the gallbladder or bile duct and sew
it to the small intestine. This is called biliary bypass. Surgery or other
procedures may also be done to put in a tube (catheter) to drain bile that has
built up in the area. During these procedures, the doctor may place the
catheter so that it drains through a tube to the outside of the body or so that
it goes around the blocked area and drains the bile into the small intestine.
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and
shrink tumors. Radiation for gallbladder cancer usually comes from a machine
outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy). Radiation may be used
alone or in addition to surgery.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy for cancer
of the gallbladder is usually put into the body by a needle inserted into a
vein. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the
bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells outside the
gallbladder. Chemotherapy or other drugs may be given with radiation therapy
to make cancer cells more sensitive to radiation (radiosensitizers).
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Treatment by stage
Treatments for cancer of the gallbladder depend on the stage of the disease and
the patient’s general health.
Standard treatment may be considered because of its effectiveness in past
studies, or participation in a clinical trial may be considered. Most patients
with gallbladder cancer are not cured with standard therapy and some standard
treatments may have more side effects than are desired. For these reasons,
clinical trials are designed to find better ways to treat cancer patients and
are based on the most up-to-date information. Clinical trials are ongoing in
many parts of the country for patients with cancer of the gallbladder. To
learn more about clinical trials, call the Cancer Information Service at
1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237); TTY at 1-800-332-8615.
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Localized Gallbladder Cancer
Treatment may be one of the following:
- Surgery to remove the gallbladder and some of the tissues around it
(cholecystectomy).
- External-beam radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy, possibly
followed by surgery.
- A clinical trial evaluating radiation therapy plus chemotherapy or drugs
to make the cancer cells more sensitive to radiation (radiosensitizers).
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Unresectable Gallbladder Cancer
Treatment may be one of the following:
- Surgery or other procedures to relieve symptoms.
- Surgery to bypass the obstructed ducts of the gallbladder.
- External-beam radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy possibly
followed by surgery.
- Chemotherapy to relieve symptoms. Clinical trials are testing new chemotherapy drugs.
- A clinical trial evaluating radiation therapy plus chemotherapy or drugs
to make the cancer cells more sensitive to radiation (radiosensitizers).
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Recurrent Gallbladder Cancer
Treatment for recurrent cancer of the gallbladder depends on the type of
treatment the patient received before, the place where the cancer has recurred
and other facts about the cancer, and the patient’s general health. The
patient may wish to consider taking part in a clinical trial.
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Changes to This Summary (06/03/2003)
The PDQ cancer information summaries are reviewed regularly and updated as
new information becomes available. This section describes the latest
changes made to this summary as of the date above.
Editorial changes were made to this summary.
This information is provided from the PDQ® database in collaboration with the NCI.
