Gallbladder Cancer

Gallbladder cancer is rare and usually forms in the innermost tissues of the gallbladder. The majority of gallbladder cancers are adenocarcinomas, which originate in gland cells or display gland-cell-like structures. Gallbladder cancer affects more women than men, is more common in people over age 65, and has a high incidence among Mexican Americans and Native Americans. Less than 10,000 new patients are diagnosed each year in the United States. Gallbladder cancer is difficult to diagnose because it often develops asymptomatically. Gallbladder cancer symptoms may include fever, nausea, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes), bloating or lumps in the abdomen, and pain just above the stomach. The stages of gallbladder cancer range from I to IV depending on tumor size and spread. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, removal of the gallbladder and/or part of the liver, or a combination of these.