The cancer that starts in the gallbladder is known as gallbladder cancer. This cancer starts in the innermost layer of tissue that then spreads from the outer layers as it develops. A gall bladder is basically located on the right side of the abdomen, just below the liver. Bile (a digestive fluid) is stored in the gallbladder.
Gallbladder cancer has been categorized into different types that depend on the cells affected. A large number of gallbladder cancers are Adenocarcinomas which is considered as the most common type. Adenocarcinomas begin in the gland cells that line the gallbladder. Papillary Adenocarcinomas, also referred to as papillary cancer, is also considered as a type of gallbladder cancer. Other uncommon gallbladder cancers include squamous cell carcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, sarcomas and small cell carcinomas.
There are no known causes of gallbladder cancer. When there are changes in the DNA of healthy gallbladder cells then it results in the development of gallbladder cancer. These changes result in uncontrollable growth of cells that continue to live instead of dying. The build-up of these cells develops a tumor that can grow beyond the gallbladder and spreads to different body parts.
There are no visible symptoms of gallbladder cancer in its early stages. Some of the later symptoms include -
Stage 1: At this initial stage, only the wall of the gallbladder is affected by the cancer.
Stage 2: The second stage is marked by the spread of the cancer through the full thickness of the gall bladder wall but has not been spread to surrounding organs or nearby lymph nodes.
Stage 3: The third stage is marked by the spread of the cancer to lymph nodes near the gallbladder or the cancer has spread to the stomach, small bowel, liver or colon.
Stage 4: The last and final stage is marked by the spread of the cancer deeply in 2 or more organs near the gallbladder or the cancer has spread to organs or lymph nodes. This is also termed as secondary or metastatic cancer.
A doctor carefully examines the symptoms and medical history of a patient. A number of tests are performed for diagnosing gallbladder cancer that include -
The treatment of gallbladder cancer has been categorized into surgical and non-surgical treatments.
Surgical Treatments : Surgery is considered as the best treatment for gallbladder cancer. A Cholecystectomy operation is performed for removing the gallbladder when the cancer has not spread beyond the wall of the gallbladder. Sometimes it is also required to remove tissues if the cancer has spread beyond the gallbladder. The surgical procedure also helps in relieving the symptoms and also aims at preventing jaundice when the cancer has spread to the nearby tissues such as lymph nodes, liver or stomach. Palliative therapy is the name given to this procedure. A stent may also be inserted in order to drain the bile properly into the digestive system.
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