Gallbladder Cancer Treatment at Top Cancer Hospitals in India

Gallbladder cancer is very uncommon. Women are more likely to have gall bladder cancer than men. The risk increases with increasing age. It is more common in patients who have stones in the gall bladder, the risk being about 1%. Other diseases of the gall bladder, such as, porcelain (calcified) gallbladder, choledochal (bile duct) cyst and chronic gallbladder infection also increase the risk of gall bladder cancer.

It's not clear what causes gallbladder cancer. Most gallbladder cancer begins in the cells that line the inner surface of the gallbladder and is called as adenocarcinoma. Gall bladder cancer tends to spread to nearby organs and tissues such as the liver, bile ducts or small intestine. It also spreads to lymph nodes in the region of the liver. Ultimately, distant organs and lymph nodes can become involved.

What are the signs and symptoms of gall bladder cancer?

Gallbladder cancer is difficult to diagnose because it often causes no signs or symptoms. When present, the symptoms may be non-specific and similar to many other chronic diseases. The relatively hidden nature of the gallbladder probably makes it easier for gallbladder cancer to grow without being detected.

Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), itching, bloating, abdominal pain, weight loss, decreasing appetite, fever, nausea & vomiting or an enlarging abdominal mass are all signs that may be attributable to gall bladder cancer. Frequently, jaundice is a late development and the other symptoms have been present for a long time. Sometimes, it is detected incidentally on the biopsy after cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal operation) for gallstone disease. When diagnosed in this situation, it is generally at a very early stage and the chance for cure is very good.

Diagnosis of Gallbladder Cancer

• Physical Examination and History
• Liver Function Tests
• Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) Assay
• CT Scan (CAT Scan)
• Ultrasound Exam
• PTC (Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiography)
• ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography)
• Biopsy
• Laparoscopy

Treatment for Gall Bladder Cancer in India

Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are all used to treat gallbladder cancer. Many patients get a combination of treatments. For example, chemotherapy or radiotherapy can be used to shrink the tumour before surgery.

Your treatment will depend on the stage, grade and type of cancer cells you have. The stage looks at the size of your cancer and if it has spread from where it started.

The grade of the cancer can tell if your cancer grows quickly or slowly. You can have a low, moderate or high grade cancer.

Surgery

Surgery offers the best chance of curing early-stage cancer that has not spread beyond the gallbladder. To determine if surgery is possible, surgical oncologist at DHRC may order images of the gallbladder, bile ducts and the liver. Surgeons will use a camera and miniature instruments inserted through tiny incisions in the abdomen (laparoscopic surgery) to see if the tumor has spread (metastasized). Surgery options include:

·         Simple cholecystectomy If the tumor is very small and has not spread to the deeper layers of gallbladder tissue, the surgeon may use this procedure, which removes only the gallbladder. Occasionally this procedure can be done using laparoscopic surgery.

·         Extended cholecystectomy. This is the most commonly performed surgery, involving removal of the gallbladder, the liver tissue next to it, and nearby lymph nodes.

Chemotherapy

·         When the cancer has spread to other organs, medical oncologists may recommend chemotherapy.

·         Chemotherapy currently does not cure advanced gallbladder cancer, but sometimes slows the disease's progression.

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy treats cancer by using high-energy x-rays that destroy the cancer cells while doing as little harm as possible to normal cells. It is occasionally used for cancer of the gall bladder. It can either be given externally from a radiotherapy machine or internally by placing radioactive material close to the tumour (brachytherapy).