CANCER OF THE GALLBLADDER - SURGICAL EXPE RIENCE IN A SERIES OF 143 CASES

The records of 143 patients with gallbladder carcinoma operatively tre ated between 1975 and 1995 were retrospectively reviewed. Abdominal pa in was the most common symptom and was present in 103 patients (72 %) Jaundice was present in 83 patients (58 %) and weight loss in 68 (47.5 %). Pre-operative diagnosis was made in 40.5 % of the patients. Surgi cal procedures included cholecystectomy alone (16.8 %), cholecystectom y with resection of the hepatic bed and lymphadenectomy (11 %), cholec ystectomy with biliary drainage (57.3 %), and exploration with biopsy (14 %). Surgery was considered as curative in 21.5 % of the patients. Overall five-year survival rate was 11 %. Acturial 5-year survival rat e was 100 %, 29 % and 23 % in patients with T1, T2 and T3 tumors. The five-year survival rate was nil in patients with T4 and T5 cancers.