Clinicopathologic and Prognostic Features in Gallbladder Malignancies: Retrospective Analysis of 5206 Cases

Abstract

Aim: Gallbladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer of the gastrointestinal system. Clinical presentation may not be distinguished from cholelithiasis or cholecystitis and most patients are diagnosed intraoperatively or in the postoperative histologic examination. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association of incidentally detected gallbladder cancer with gallbladder premalignant lesions, age, gender, ultrasonography features and gallbladder stones. Methods: Demographic and clinical characteristics and pathology results of 5206 patients who underwent cholecystectomy between January 2012 and December 2015 were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Three thousand eight hundred and eighty four (74.6%) patients were female. Pathologic reports showed pre-malignant and malignant lesions in 102 (1.95%) cases. Metaplasia was significantly more common in females, while no significant difference was found in development of dysplasia and cancer between genders. Gallbladder stone was found to be a risk factor for the development of metaplasia. Gallbladder wall thickening and advanced age are the most important risk factors for gallbladder cancer. Conclusion: Female gender and gallstone are important risk factors for the development of metaplasia. Advanced age, gallstone and gallbladder wall thickening on ultrasonography are the most important factors in the development cancer. Cholecystectomy should be kept in mind as the most effective method to prevent cancer development in elderly patients with gallbladder stones.