PRIMARY-CARCINOMA OF THE GALLBLADDER-REVIEW OF 143 CASES

Background/Aims: We reviewed a consecutive series of patients with pri mary cancer of the gallbladder and looked for specific symptoms, signs , laboratory tests, radiological examinations, operative procedures, o perative findings and survival. Material and Methods: The records of 1 43 patients with gallbladder carcinoma operatively treated between 197 5 and 1990 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Abdominal pain was the most common symptom and present in 72% of our patients. Jaundice w as present in. 83 patients (58%) and weight loss in 68 (47.5 %). The p re-operative diagnosis was made in only 28.7 per cent of the cases. Su rgical procedures included cholecystectomy alone (24 patients), cholec ystectomy and resection, of the hepatic bed (17 patients), and explora tion with biopsy or bypass (20 patients). Only 21.5% of patients under went curative surgery. Overall five year survival rate was 11%. For pa tients whose tumor was limited to the gallbladder wall (T1, T2, T3), t he acturial 5 year survival rate was respectively 100%, 29% and 23%. F or patients with T4 and T5 tumor, the 5 year survival rate was nil. Co nclusion: For the early stages, the survival rate could be higher with a more aggressive surgical procedure.