Gallstones and the Risk of Gallbladder Cancer
Gallstones, which are common and highly found in the Asian and African communities, due to genetic factors, dietary and lifestyle shifts, increase the risk of gall bladder cancer.
What are gallstones?
The impaired breakdown of fats leads to the accumulation of cholesterol, bilirubin, and calcium, forming hard masses.
Gallstones affect the digestive system of the body by obstructing the bile flow. It impairs nutrient absorption and causes inflammation.
What is gall bladder cancer?
Gall bladder cancer is the cancerous cell growth and propagation in the gall bladder. The bile fluid is collected in the gall bladder and released into the intestine.
The gall bladder concentrates the bile fluid to make it stronger for the digestion of high-fat molecules.
The link between gallstones and gall bladder cancer
Persistently occurring gallstones obstruct the bile flow, leading to toxic or waste fluid buildup and causing inflammation, increasing the risk of cancer.
The chronic inflammation causes –
- • Cellular damage
- • Suppresses the immune system
- • Increase risk of infection
- • Provides an environment for tumor growth
The common type of gall bladder cancer
Adenocarcinomas are the most common gall bladder cancer that arises from the gland-like cells, which form the surface of the organs, including the gall bladder.
The finger-like projection or the mass formed by glandular cells in the gall bladder is the papillary form of Adenocarcinomas.
Other cancer types include –
- • Squamous cell cancer
- • Neuroendocrine tumors
- • Sarcoma
- • Aden squamous cancer
What are the other risk factors of gall bladder cancer?
- • Growing Age – The increasing age increases the risk of cancer.
- • Gender – it is much common in women compared to men.
- • Family history – when cancer is hereditary in the family.
- • Porcelain gallbladder – the gallbladder becomes very hard and brittle, filled with gall stones.
- • Gall bladder polyps – the extended growth the epidermis forming small polyps or masses.
- • Primary sclerosing cholangitis – it is a bile duct disorder, causing inflammation that extends to the gall bladder and causing toxic fluid buildup in the gall bladder.
- • Obesity – it causes rapid fat breakdown, increased lipid and cholesterol accumulation.
- • Smoking – the carcinogenic elements in the cigarette increase risk of gall bladder cancer.
The symptoms of gall bladder cancer
- • Pain in the abdomen
- • Yellowish coloration of the eyes or urine
- • Lumps in the stomach
- • Loss of weight
- • Nausea
- • Fever
- • Vomiting
What are the treatments for gall bladder cancer?
Surgery
It is the partial or complete removal of the gall bladder.
Chemotherapy
It is a combination of drugs that is used before surgery to shrink the tumor or after surgery to eliminate cancer cells.
It is also used as a palliative care for advanced cancer.
Radiation therapy
It involves a beam of radiation targeting the tumor. It can be both internal and external.
Targeted therapy
It is the medicines that target the cancer cells.
Immunotherapy
It is the use of antibodies or advanced treatments that boost the immune system to fight cancer.
What are the medicines for gall bladder cancer?
- • Gemcitabine – Apragem
- • Cisplatin – Cycokast
- • Capecitabine – Capekast
- • Oxaliplatin – Oxazer
- • Paclitaxel – Nab paclitaxel
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