Gallbladder Cancer: An Overview

By MC Kelby HERWriter December 12, 2011 - 8:15am Rate This

Photo: Getty Images

According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 9,250 cases of gallbladder cancer will be diagnosed this year and more than 3,300 people will die from this deadly disease.

Your gallbladder is approximately three to four inches long and one inch wide. Think of it as the shape of a small pear. Your gallbladder store and collects bile. Most people live healthy lives if their gallbladder is removed.

The American Cancer Society website stated ʺabout nine out of ten gallbladder cancers are adenocarcinomas. An adenocarcinoma is a cancer that starts in the cells with gland-like properties that line many internal and external surfaces of the body (including the inside the digestive system).ʺ

Papillary adenocarcinoma or papillary cancer is another form of gallbadder cancer. ʺAbout six percent of all gallbladder cancers are papillary adenocarcinomas. They tend to have a better prognosis (outlook) than most other kinds of gallbladder adenocarcinomas,ʺ said the American Cancer Society.

Other types of gallbladder cancer include:
· Sarcomas (but these are uncommon)
· Carcinomas
· Small cell carcinomas
· Squamous cell carcinomas

The National Cancer Institute stated, ʺGallbladder cancer begins in the innermost layer of tissue and spreads through the outer layers as it grows.ʺ

There are several risk factors for gallbladder cancer. Those risks according the American Cancer Society include:

· Female gender. Gallbladder cancer occurs in women twice as much as men.
· Race. Mexican Americans and Native Americans have the highest rate of gallbladder cancer.
· Gallstones
· Porcelain gallbladder
· Obesity
· Age. Three out of four people are older than 65 when they are diagnosed with gallbladder cancer. The median age of diagnosis is 73.
· Choledochal cysts
· Abnormalities of the bile ducts
· Gallbladder polyps
· Typhoid
· Family history

According the American Cancer Society, industrial and environmental chemicals may also be a risk for gallbladder cancer.

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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