Incidental gallbladder cancer at cholecystectomy

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Gallbladder tumours rank fifth in the world among gastrointestinal system tumours. Coincidental gallbladder tumours are diagnosed during cholecystectomies, or by examining the cholecystectomy material.

AIMS: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the incidence of gallbladder cancer among patients undergoing cholecystectomies due to gallbladder disease.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study.

METHODS: The files of 341 patients who had undergone routine cholecystectomy operations between January 2013 and March 2016 were reviewed, and their pathology results were recorded. Those patients with gallbladder carcinomas were evaluated in terms of age, gender, preoperative findings, existing symptoms, radiological findings, surgical findings and follow-up. The cancer invasion depth was classified according to the American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) atlas, and this study was approved by the ethical committee of our university.

RESULTS: Among the 341 patients who participated in this study, 253 (74.41%) were female, 88 (25.80%) were male, and their average age was 49.61 years old (17-86). Seven of the patients (2.05%) had gallbladder tumours; six of which were female, one was male and their average age was 67.71 years old (62-76). One tumour was diagnosed as a frozen specimen during the operation, while the others were diagnosed during the postoperation phase. Three of the patients had T1b and four had T2 tumours.

CONCLUSION: Gallbladder tumours detected incidentally could extend survival rates with proper surgical intervention and chemotherapy. The possibility of a tumour should not be dismissed in those patients with advanced age, females or patients with gallbladder stones. Frozen specimens should be created during a cholecystectomy, and if there is any doubt about the diagnosis, a postoperative histopathological examination of the gallbladder should be conducted.