Table Of Contents
- What is Gall Bladder Cancer?
- What are the causes of Gall Bladder Cancer?
- What are the signs and symptoms of Gall Bladder Cancer?
- Can gallbladder cancer spread?
- What are the different stages of gallbladder cancer?
- How is Gall Bladder Cancer diagnosed?
- What is the treatment process for Gall Bladder Cancer?
What is Gall Bladder Cancer?
Cancer that starts in the gallbladder is gallbladder cancer. It can eventually spread across the body.
The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ. It is located just behind your liver on the right side of your belly. It stores bile acid, the digestive fluid that your liver produces.
Gallbladder cancer is a rare condition. When it is identified in its early stages, there is a significant possibility of a cure. However, most gallbladder cancers are detected late in the disease process when the prognosis is quite bleak.
Since gallbladder cancer generally has no symptoms or indicators, it may not be identified until it is advanced. Furthermore, the hidden nature of the gallbladder makes it easy for gallbladder cancer to spread undetected.
What are the causes of Gall Bladder Cancer?
It’s unclear as to what triggers gallbladder cancer.
Gallbladder cancer occurs when healthy gallbladder cells change in their DNA. The DNA of a cell comes with directions that tell it what to do. Here the changes cause the cells to become out of control and start to thrive when other cells would typically die. The gathered cells become a tumor that expands outside the gallbladder and spreads to other parts of the body.
Gallbladder cancer usually starts in the glandular cells that coat the gallbladder’s inner surface. An adenocarcinoma is a form of gallbladder cancer that occurs in this type of cell. This term comes from the way cancer cells are detected under the microscope.
What are the signs and symptoms of Gall Bladder Cancer?
Here are some of the signs of gallbladder cancer.
- Jaundice
- Pain above the stomach area
- Fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Bloating
- Abdominal lumps
Can gallbladder cancer spread?
Yes, and this process is called metastasis. Cancer can spread through the following organs:
- Lymph system: Cancer spreads through the lymphatic system to other parts of the body
- Blood: Cancer spreads from the blood arteries to different parts of the body
- Tissue: Cancer spreads to other areas
Cancers are called after the place where they first appeared. If you have cancer in your liver that originated in your gallbladder, it will be known as metastatic gallbladder cancer.
What are the different stages of gallbladder cancer?
One of the most serious concerns regarding cancer is if it has spread (metastasized) outside its main site. Your doctor will assign a number (0-5) to the diagnosis to determine the extent of the spread. Staging involves determining how far cancer has progressed throughout your body. The greater the number, the more cancer is spreading across your body. Gallbladder cancer has four stages:
- Stage 0 – known as carcinoma in situ, is restricted to the mucosal, i.e., the inner layer of the gallbladder.
- Stage 1 – cancer has spread to the muscle layer.
- Stage 2 – cancer spreads further than the muscle layer to the connective tissue layer.
- Stage 3 – cancer has now reached the liver and the organs nearby or the outer layer and probably the lymphatic nodes.
- Stage 4 – cancer is now reached more than three lymph nodes, its nearby vessels, and the organs that are far from the gallbladder.
How is Gall Bladder Cancer diagnosed?
As there are rarely any signs or symptoms, unfortunately, gallbladder cancer is diagnosed quite late. It’s usually learned when you have gallstones or have your gallstones removed.
If your doctor suspects that you have gallbladder cancer, he will perform tests such as:
Lab tests:
- Liver function test: The quantities of specific substances secreted by your liver are measured in a liver function test, which may suggest that your liver has been compromised by gallbladder cancer.
- CA 19-9 assay: Determines the amount of CA 19-9, a tumor marker, in your blood. Both healthy and malignant cells produce this chemical. Higher levels indicate gallbladder or pancreatic cancer.
- Blood chemistries: Determines the concentrations of active substances in your blood, including some that could suggest cancer.
- CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) assay: Determines CEA levels (a tumor marker released by both healthy and tumorous cells).
Imaging tests:
- Endoscopic ultrasound
- X-ray of the chest
- Abdominal ultrasound: In this, sound waves are used to create images of the organs in your stomach.
- CT (or CAT) scan: An X-ray type to take detailed images of the insides of the body
- ERCP – An X-ray method to take a picture of your bile ducts. Known as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), narrowing of these ducts indicates gallbladder cancer.
- MRI scan: that makes use of magnets, radio waves, and a computer to create images of your internal organs.
Other tests:
- Biopsy: A method that requires removing tissues or cells and examining them under a microscope for malignancy.
- Laparoscopy: A laparoscope is inserted into your abdomen using a small incision to view the insides of your body.
What is the treatment process for Gall Bladder Cancer?
Gallbladder cancer must be diagnosed before it’s even expanded to other organs to be cured. The treatment depends on the stage of cancer. Treatment options for localized cancer (stage 1) include:
- Chemotherapy is a blend of chemicals that is used to either kill or stop cancer cells from proliferating. Chemotherapy medications can be given intravenously or orally (by mouth). Gemcitabine (Gemzar®), cisplatin (Platinol®), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), capecitabine (Xeloda®), and oxaliplatin (Eloxatin®) are examples of chemotherapy medications. Some of the side effects of chemo include tiredness, easy bruising, easy bleeding, infections, hair loss, mouth sores, loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.
- Radiation: Radiation therapy employs high amounts of radiation to kill or prevent cancer cells from proliferating while causing minimal harm to healthy cells. Radiation therapy involves directing radiation to your cancer using equipment outside of your body. Skin problems, nausea, vomiting, exhaustion, liver damage, and/or diarrhea are all possible adverse effects of radiation treatment.
- Surgery: A cholecystectomy is the surgical excision of your gallbladder and surrounding tissue. The surgeon may also remove lymph nodes and a portion of the liver situated near the gallbladder.
Some clinical trials include:
- Radiation sensitizer
- Targeted therapy
- Immunotherapy
If you are going through any of the symptoms, make sure to book an appointment with your doctor. Though other types of cancers show early signs, that’s not the case with gallbladder cancer. It’s necessary to get it treated as soon as possible.
