Gallbladder Cancer

Gallbladder Cancer

Gallbladder cancer occurs when cancerous cells develop in the tissues of the gallbladder. it initiates in the inner layer and extends up to the outer layer of the gallbladder as cancer grows.
The chance for the cure is more in the case when it is discovered at its earliest stages but it is difficult to diagnose. It often shows no specific signs or symptoms.

Signs and Symptoms

• Bloating or swelling in the abdomen
• Fever
• Weight loss without trying
• Pain above the right part of the stomach.
• Itching
• Nausea or vomiting
• Jaundice
• Lumps in the belly: If cancer blocks the bile ducts, the gallbladder can swell.

Book an appointment with the best oncologists for cancer treatment as well as a diagnosis at the best cancer hospital in Delhi.

Causes and risk factors

• Gender: Gallstones and gallbladder inflammation are much more common in women than men also are important risk factors for gallbladder cancer.
• Age factor: Gallbladder cancer is diagnosed mainly in older people, the average age to be around 70 but gallbladder cancer can be developed in younger people as well.
• Personal history of gall bladder stones: Gall bladder stones are the most common risk factor for gallbladder cancer, but gallbladder cancer is quite rare.
• Other gallbladder diseases: Other gallbladder conditions such as gallbladder polyps and chronic gallbladder infection can increase the risk of gallbladder cancer.
• Porcelain gallbladder: A porcelain gallbladder is a condition in which occurs after long-term inflammation of the gallbladder and in this condition calcium deposits cover the wall of the gallbladder. People with porcelain gallbladder are at high risk of developing gallbladder cancer.
• Obesity: Obese or overweight people are at risk of developing Gallbladder stones hence are susceptible to develop gallbladder cancer.
• Choledochal cysts: Choledochal cysts are bile-filled sacs along the common bile duct, the cells lining the sac often have areas of pre-cancerous changes, which can progress to gallbladder cancer over time.
• Abnormalities of the bile ducts: Some people have a defect where bile juice flows backward from the pancreas into the Gallbladder. People with such abnormalities are possibly at higher risk of developing gallbladder cancer.
• Family history of gallbladder cancer: A person’s probability to get gallbladder cancer increases if anyone from his/her family had gallbladder cancer.
• Exposure to chemicals used in the rubber and textile industries
• Exposure to nitrosamines
• Smoking

Stages

Staging is a way of determining to what extent cancer has spread in the body. it stages are briefed below:
Stage 0: At this stage, the cancer is small in size and limited to the innermost layer of the gallbladder.
Stage I: At this stage, the cancer cells start to penetrate into the second and third layers of the gallbladder.
Stage II: At this stage, cancer has now penetrated the deeper layer of perimuscular fibrous tissue but not spread to nearby lymph nodes or other organs.
Stage III: This stage is further divided into two subcategories:

• Stage IIIA: Cancer has extended through the outermost layer of the gallbladder or may have extended into the liver or another nearby organ. However, it has not spread to nearby lymph nodes or more distant organs.
• Stage IIIB: Cancer cells have spread to nearby lymph nodes, but the tumor has not spread into the blood vessels leading to the liver, or more than one nearby organ other than the liver. Cancer has also not reached distant organs as well.

Stage IV: This stage is further divided into two subcategories:

• Stage IVA: Cancer has spread into the blood vessels leading to the liver or has extended to a nearby organ other than the liver. Cancer cells may have reached nearby lymph nodes, but they have not reached distant organs.
• Stage IVB: Cancers at this stage are the most advanced. Cancer cells have either spread to lymph nodes farther away from the gallbladder, or they have spread to distant organs.

Diagnosis

An accurate diagnosis helps in the right plan of treatment for any disease.

Medical history and physical exam

If a person shows some signs that suspect to have gallbladder cancer, he/she should consult the physician or cancer expert, or oncologist with no delays. A doctor can look for the signs precisely and can recommend further investigation in case of any doubt.

Blood test

A blood test is done to determine the level of bilirubin. High levels of bilirubin may indicate a problem with either the liver or gallbladder.

Ultrasound whole abdomen

CT scan

A CT scan helps the doctor by providing a detailed, 3-dimensional image that shows any abnormalities or tumors. A CT scan may be used to measure the tumor’s size.

MRI

An MRI is used to find out whether cancer has spread outside the gallbladder. MRI can also be used to measure the tumor’s size.

X-ray

A standard X-ray of the chest may be performed to see if the cancer cells have spread to the lungs.

Cholangiography

This test may be performed either by using an MRI machine or endoscope or by inserting a needle through the skin of the abdomen allowing the doctor to look at the bile ducts.

Biopsy

In cases when gallbladder cancer is diagnosed on other tests, a biopsy is performed. A small amount of tissue is removed from the gallbladder and sent to a laboratory for examination under a microscope. A biopsy can make a definite diagnosis.

PET-CT scan.

A PET scan is usually combined with a CT scan to create pictures of organs and tissues inside the body.

Laparoscopy

A surgical procedure using an instrument called a laparoscope to look at the organs inside the abdomen to check for signs of disease. This procedure helps to find out to what extent cancer has spread in the body.

Endoscopic ultrasonography

A procedure in which an endoscope is inserted into the body, usually through the mouth or rectum to see the tissues inside.

Treatment

The gallbladder cancer program at Oncoplus Hospital, Delhi offers surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy. Common treatments for gallbladder cancer include:

Surgery

Surgery is a common treatment for gallbladder cancer and the specialist may perform the surgery either to completely remove the tumor if the cancer is still localized or to relieve the symptoms of the cancer is spread to other organs. Cholecystectomy and radical gallbladder resection are the two commonly performed surgical procedures.

• Cholecystectomy: This surgery is done to remove the gallbladder completely.
• Radical gallbladder resection: This surgical procedure involves the removal of a wedge-shaped section of the liver near the gallbladder, the common bile duct, part or all of the ligaments between the liver and intestines, and the lymph nodes around the pancreas and nearby blood vessels along with gallbladder.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of medicines to kill cancer cells by stopping the cancer cells from growing and dividing. The number of cycles given to the patient is decided by the oncologist depending upon the severity of the patient’s condition.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy radiations to destroy cancer cells. This therapy may be used either before surgery to shrink the size of the tumor or after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells.

Targeted Therapy

Cancer develops when one’s DNA changes, targeted therapy use medicines that target the process of changes in DNA. This therapy can be combined with chemotherapy.

Palliative Therapy

Palliative treatments vary widely and often include medication, nutritional changes, relaxation techniques, emotional support, and other therapies. Palliative care is a treatment used to help control or reduce symptoms caused by cancer. It’s not meant to cure cancer.

Consult the cancer specialist at Oncoplus Hospital, Delhi.