The Ewha Medical Journal
Ewha Womans University School of Medicine
Original Article

Characteristics of Unexpected Gallbladder Cancer Diagnosed by Cholecycstectomy

Young Sun Kim, Sun Young Yi, Kyung Eun Lee*

Copyright ⓒ 2003. Ewha Womans University School of Medicine. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Published Online: Jun 30, 2003

Abstract

Objectives

Unexpected carcinoma of gallbaldder(GB) can be found in 1-2% of specimens after surgery of benign biliary disease. This study was designed to investigate the clinicopathological and radiological characteristics of unexpected GB cancer presumed benign biliary disease and compare with originally diagnosed GB cancer.

Methods

The modical records of nineteen patients(5 males and 14 females, mean age : 64±9 years) with unexpected GB cancer diagnosed postoperatively(Group 1 : cholecystitis, 12 cases ; GB empyema, 4 cases ; cholecystitis with bile duct stone, 3 cases) and thirty seven patients (12males and 25 females, mean age : 68±11 years) with originally diagnosed GB cancer(Group 2) were retrospectively reviewed at Ewha Womans university Mokdong hospital from October, 1993 to March, 1999.

Results

Clinical findings including right upper quadrant pain, fever, and chilling were pre-dominant in group 1 and general weakness, anorexia, and weight loss were predominant in group 2. Ultrasonographic findings of the group 1 were not typical to detect GB cacer Diffuse thickened GB wall showed 47.3% and the gallstone showed 89.5% in group 1. The mass of thickened GB wall irregularly revealed in all and gallstone showed in 50% of group 2. The TMN stage of goup 1 revealed earlier stage than group 2. The curative resection was performed in 84.2% and 10% in group 1 and 2, respectively.

Conclusion

The stage of unexpected GB cancer revealed relatively early stage and the curative resection rate was higher than originally diagnosed GB cancer. Therefore, the careful and detail intraoperative histologic examination of considered in patient with clinical features of benign biliary disease to detect early and improve prognosis in the patients of GB cancer.

Keywords: Unexpected gallbladder cancer; Cholecystectomy