Carcinoma of the gallbladder

Abstract

Background: The carcinoma of gallbladder amounts to 0.2-0.4% of malignant neoplasms and it's diagnosis takes place in 0.93-2% of all patients qualified for cholecystectomy or during other surgical interventions on extrahepatic biliary ducts. Objectives: The aim of this study was a retrospective analysis of the clinical aspects, results of diagnostic procedures and the moment when final diagnosis was established in patients suffered from carcinoma of gallbladder. Material: The study group comprised 13 patients (9 women and 4 men) with carcinoma of gallbladder diagnosed during the period between 1994-2000. Results: In all cases the clinical aspects and results of laboratory tests were non-characteristic. In all 13 cases cholecystolithiasis was ascertained during the ultrasonography of the abdominal cavity. Only in 1 female patient the carcinoma of gallbladder was diagnosed during the intraoperative histopathological examination. In other 12 patients, the carcinoma of gallbladder was diagnosed in postoperative histopathological examination. Conclusion: Despite the progress in diagnostics, the early stages of gallbladder's carcinoma are still most commonly diagnosed not until the postoperative histopathological examination.