Gallbladder cancer is a rare and aggressive form of biliary tract cancer. Experts at the OSUCCC – James continue to research the underlying causes of gallbladder cancer to better understand the disease. Gallbladder cancer is often diagnosed in late stages, so understanding the risk factors associated with it is key to early intervention. If you’re at risk of developing gallbladder cancer, you and your doctor should discuss any preventive measures you should take to reduce the likelihood of developing it.
Screening for gallbladder and bile duct cancer
In general, there aren’t currently any screening guidelines for gallbladder cancer. There are also no established baseline tests to screen those without symptoms. A physical exam won’t necessarily indicate if a tumor is present in the gallbladder due to the gallbladder’s location.
However, should you have symptoms, your doctor may recommend you undergo additional testing to determine an exact cause for them, such as blood tests or imaging tests.
Risk factors for gallbladder cancer
A risk factor is anything that increases your risk of getting gallbladder cancer. There are some risk factors that you can influence and others you can’t.
It’s important to note that just because you may have a risk factor for a disease doesn’t mean you’ll develop it. You should speak with your doctor to understand your specific case.
Some risk factors for gallbladder cancer include:
- Medical conditions including:
- Gallstones: Gallstones are one of the top risk factors for developing gallbladder cancer. While not everyone who has gallstones will develop gallbladder cancer, having them can increase the likelihood of developing it. The size of the gallstones can be a factor as well.
- Obesity: Those who are obese tend to have higher rates of gallbladder disease, which can be a factor for developing gallbladder cancer.
- Polyps in the gallbladder: Gallbladder polyps can also increase the risk of gallbladder cancer. These polyps develop slowly and can become cancerous over time if left untreated.
- Bile duct abnormalities or cysts: If you have a history of congenital biliary cysts or have been diagnosed with a bile duct structure abnormality, these can also lead to an increased risk of gallbladder cancer.
- Sex: Females assigned at birth develop gallbladder cancer more often than men do.
- Ethnicity: Research has shown that people of Native American or Mexican descent are at an increased risk of developing gallbladder cancer in North America. Specifically, Native Americans from New Mexico have the highest rates of gallbladder cancer in the U.S. The disease occurs much more often in Asia, Eastern Europe and South America.
- Older age: Gallbladder cancer tends to affect those 65 years of age and older. It’s not commonly diagnosed in younger people, but it can happen.
- Smoking: Those who smoke cigarettes tend to have an increased incidence of gallbladder cancer when compared to nonsmokers.
Risk factors for gallbladder cancer
People who have several liver or bile duct diseases have a higher risk of bile duct cancer because their bile ducts are chronically inflamed.
These diseases include health conditions such as:
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis: This chronic condition causes inflammation and scaring of the bile ducts, leading to narrowing or blockages so they don’t work properly.
- Chronic ulcerative colitis: Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that can increase the likelihood of developing bile duct cancer.
- Choledochal cysts: These cysts affect how quickly bile moves from the liver to the small intestine via the bile ducts.
- Infection with a parasite (liver fluke) occurs primarily in Asian countries because of eating raw fish.
Steps to help prevent gallbladder cancer
While gallbladder cancer may not be fully preventable, there are some things you can do to lessen the chances of developing it.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can increase the likelihood of developing gallbladder cancer. Therefore, you should talk to your doctor about strategies you can take to maintain a healthy weight.
- Exercise regularly. Regular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight.
- Eat a balanced diet. A diet that contains a balance of fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help your gallbladder function and help with healthy weight maintenance.
- Quit smoking. Cigarette use is tied to increases in gallbladder cancer. Talk to your doctor about how to quit.
If you have received a gallbladder or bile duct cancer diagnosis or if you want a second opinion, we are here to help you. Call 800-293-5066 or 614-293-5066 to make an appointment.
Related Resources
Gastrointestinal Cancer Clinical Research
Gallbladder Cancer Screening and Diagnosis
Gallbladder Cancer Treatment Team