Carcinoma of Gallbladder: Its Frequency and Clinical Presentations in two hundred cases of Cholelithiasis

Abstract

Background: Primary carcinoma of the gallbladder is the most common biliary tract tumor. Although its exact aetiology is not known, gallstones are considered to be an important risk factor for the development of carcinoma of the gallbladder. The objectives of the study were to find out frequency of carcinoma gallbladder in patients suffering from cholelithiasis and the frequency of symptoms, signs, ultrasonographic findings, per-operative and histopathologic findings in patients having carcinoma gallbladder. Material and Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out in the Surgical Unit of Kohat Development Authority Hospital, Kohat from January 2009 to June 2011. All patients having gallstones were included in this study. Patients unfit for general anesthesia or positive for HBV, HCV or HIV were excluded from the study. Results: Out of the 200 patients cholecystectomy was possible in 193 patients. The frequency of carcinoma of gallbladder in our study was 4% with female to male ratio of 7:1. The main presenting complaints were pain in the right upper quadrant of abdomen, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, weight loss and jaundice. The main clinical signs were mass in the right hypochondrium (50%) and jaundice (37.5%). 87.5% patients were in stage IV disease. 7 patients had inoperable malignant disease at the time of surgery. Conclusions: This study concluded that the frequency of carcinoma of the gallbladder is the same as elsewhere in the world but the gallstones disease and carcinoma gallbladder affects comparatively younger female patients of low socioeconomic status.