EARLY CARCINOMA OF THE GALLBLADDER - AN ELUSIVE DISEASE

Prognosis of carcinoma of the gallbladder can be improved by diagnosin g the disease in the early stages. Records of 14 patients with early ( UICC AJCC TNM stages I and II) carcinoma of the gallbladder were analy zed. Clinical presentation in all these patients was like benign bilia ry disease. Ultrasonography could diagnose carcinoma of the gallbladde r in only five patients; in the remaining nine patients, even the ultr asonographic diagnosis was benign biliary disease. All patients were o perated; carcinoma of the gallbladder was diagnosed at operation in tw o more patients, but it was first detected only after histological exa mination in seven patients. All patients except four had associated ga llstones. Preoperative diagnosis of early carcinoma of the gallbladder is difficult. The only way to diagnose early carcinoma of the gallbla dder is by early surgical treatment of patients with clinical features of benign biliary disease. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.