Gallbladder cancer is rare, although it is the most common pop in of cancer affecting thebiliary system.
There are four main types of gallbladder cancer:
What Are the Symptoms of Gallbladder Cancer?
Gallbladder cancer usually progresses to a later stage before it causes any symptoms.
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However, certain risk factors are known to increase your vulnerability to the disease.
A biopsy provides a definitive diagnosis.
Staging establishes how advanced a cancer is and helps make treatment decisions.
People can live without their gallbladder and often do not miss it.
Parts of the other affected organs may also be removed.
If there arelymph nodesinvolved, those may also need to be removed through surgery.
Surgery is the main treatment for squamous cell carcinoma.
Chemotherapy and Radiation
In some cases, chemotherapy and/or radiation may also be used after surgery.
Chemotherapyinvolves using medications that kill certain types of cells that grow quickly in the body, like cancer cells.
Radiation therapyis the use of energy beams to kill cancer cells.
This treatment is non-invasive.
A machine delivers radiation to the patient as they lie on a table.
In patients who are diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic cancer, surgery may not be an option.
Targeted Drug Therapy
A newer treatment is being studied in clinical trials.
Targeted drugs are developed to be more specific than chemotherapy and to kill the cancer cells.
This therapy may be used by itself or along with chemotherapy.
This is a newer throw in of treatment and may only be available in clinical trials for gallbladder cancer.
A catheter is another treatment that can help bile drain.
A thin tube is placed through the abdomen and into the bile duct by an interventional radiologist.
The bile drains into a bag that’s worn on the outside of the body.
What Is the Survival Rate of Gallbladder Cancer?
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the relative five-yearsurvival ratefor gallbladder cancer is 20%.
This means that roughly one of every five people will live for five years or more following treatment.
It may be helpful to have some coping mechanisms in place.
Working with physicians to learn about the diagnosis and what the treatments are is one way to cope.
Writing down questions to bring to appointments and having a friend or family member come along can be helpful.
Letting family and friends know about the diagnosis and next steps will allow them to be supportive.
People often ask what they can do when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer.
Having a trusted person to confide in is also important.
Support groupsfor people with cancer may also be available at the hospital or through the oncologist’s office.
Every person will have their own preferred form of way of coping and having multiple options will be helpful.
Summary
Gallbladder cancer involves different types of cancers affecting different parts of the gallbladder.
Gallbladder cancer can be diagnosed with blood tests, imaging studies, and a biopsy.
People with early-stage gallbladder cancer have better chances of long-term, disease-free survival.
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