ABSTRACT

The most common histologic tumor type affecting the gallbladder is adenocarcinoma, which consists of three subtypes: nonpapillary adenocarcinoma, papillary adenocarcinoma, and mucinous adenocarcinoma. Risk factors for gallbladder cancer include obesity, gallbladder abnormalities, exposures, chronic infection, and genetic alterations. Symptoms of gallbladder cancer usually appear at the later stages of disease and may include pain above the stomach, jaundice, anorexia, nausea/vomiting, weight loss, fever, bloating, and lumps in the abdomen. Diagnosis of gallbladder cancer is achieved through the use of laboratory tests and imaging studies. The treatments options for gallbladder cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and palliative therapy. Localized tumor, represents a minority of cases and is confined to the gallbladder wall, can be completely resected. Gallbladder cancer generally has a poor prognosis, as it typically remains silent until an advanced and often noncurative stage. The early stage, localized gallbladder cancer has overall 5-year survival rates of 75"–90" with surgical resection and stage-adjusted therapy.