Resectability and Prognosis of Gallbladder Cancer: An experience of 100 cases from a tertiary care centre of Eastern Nepal

Abstract

Abstract Background Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the fifth most common neoplasm of the digestive tract and has an overall incidence of 3 per 100000 people. Only 15%-47% of the preoperatively known GBC are suitable for resection. The objective of the study was to investigate the resectability and prognosis of GBC patients. Methods It is a prospective observational study including all cases of primary cancers of the gallbladder in the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), over the period from January 2014 to December 2019. The primary endpoint was resectability and overall survival. Results During the study period, 100 patients with GBC were reported. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 52.5 years, with a female predominance (67%). The curative intent resection (radical cholecystectomy) was possible in 30 (30%) patients; while 18 (18%) required palliative surgical treatment. The overall survival of the entire group was 9 months; while those patients who underwent surgery with curative intent had median overall survival of 28 months after median follow-up of 42 months. Conclusion This study found that only one-third of patients achieve radical surgery with curative intent. Overall, the prognosis of patients is poor with median survival of less than a year due to the advanced stage disease. Multimodality treatment, screening ultrasound, neo-/adjuvant therapy may improve survival.