Know more about gallbladder cancerGallbladder cancer is essentially a very rare disease compared to other types of cancers. The gallbladder itself is essential an organ with a pear shape which lies just below the liver on the upper abdomen. Gallbladder’s main role is storage of bile which is essentially a fluid that the liver makes for digestion of fat. After the food has been broken down at the stomach and in the intestines; the gallbladder releases bile via the bile duct that connects the liver and the gallbladder.

The risk of being diagnosed with gallbladder cancer

Despite gallbladder being a rare disease, there are certain people who are exposed to a much bigger risk of developing the cancer. For instances, females are more vulnerable to having gallbladder cancer compared to men. Just because you have the risk factor doesn’t necessarily imply that you are going to get cancer and not having the risk factor doesn’t mean that you are immune from the cancer. Also, being Native American has been found to be yet another risk factor for this disease as well.

Gallbladder cancer- signs

There are a couple of signs that can warn you that gallbladder cancer could be chipping in your life. Such include fever, jaundice and pain. However, keep in mind that there are other conditions with similar symptoms as well and you will need to check with your physician if you notice problems such as; jaundice- eye whitening and skin yellowing, fever, feeling pain above your stomach, vomiting and nausea, lumps in abdomen and bloating. Detecting gallbladder is very difficult and early diagnosis is usually encouraged.

Why finding gallbladder cancer is difficult

First, when gallbladder cancer is in its early stages, there are essentially no symptoms or signs that can be used for detecting the condition. When present, the symptoms are very similar to other diseases and there is really nothing that indicates it is actually this cancer. Also, the gallbladder is usually hidden by the liver. In fact, doctors might only realize that the patient has gallbladder cancer once the gallbladder has been removed for various other reasons. It is rare for patients will gallstones to be diagnosed with gallbladder cancer.

Planning treatment for gallbladder cancer

When gallbladder cancer has been detected, plans must be put in place on how it will be treated. In most cases, a surgical procedure is done to remove the gallbladder. Cholecystectomy is a type of surgery that can be used for treating gallbladder cancer and the tissues surrounding it such as the nearby lymph nodes. Doctors may use a laparoscope for guiding the gallbladder surgery. Other types of surgeries can still be used depending on how the cancer has spread and other factors. Such include surgical biliary bypass, endoscopic stent placement among other treatments like radiation therapy and chemotherapy.