Incidental gallbladder carcinoma in regional clinical centre.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to assess the characteristics, TNM stage and survival rate of incidental gallbladder carcinoma in patients who underwent open cholecystectomy in regional clinical centre.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed all consecutive cholecystectomies during four years period in surgery department and determined incidence, pathological stage and survival rate of incidental gallbladder cancer. Demographics data, surgical management, adjuvant therapy, death or last follow-up. We compared common characteristics and survival between pTis,1a-b and pT2-3 groups of patients who underwent cholecytectomy alone.

RESULTS: Gallbladder carcinoma was diagnosed in 21 patients of 3007 cholecystectomies (0.69%). The most of patients had abdominal pain, cholelithiasis and fever. Postoperative pathology showed 20 adenocarcinomas and 1 squamous carcinoma. Seven cases were stage I, 7 stage II, 5 stage III. There was no patient in pT4 stage. The mean age was 60.6 years range (43-75). The 4 patients with pTis and 3 patients with pT1 had a 5-year survival rate of 100%. Patients with pT2-3 GBC had 5-year survival rate 8.34%. We noticed significant difference between those two cancer groups p < 0.001.

CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of incidental gallbladder cancer in this study was 0.69%. The pT-stage is very important factor in overall survival those patients. All cases of pT2-3 incidental GBC should be considered for extended radical resection after cholecystectomy alone.