Patients with Gall Bladder Cancer: a Clinical Experience

Objective: To see the clinical profile of patients with gallbladder cancer. Methodology: In this multicentre retrospective study records of all patients with gallbladder cancer, who presented at Patel Hospital, Karachi Adventist Hospital and Bilquis Naz Hospital Karachi, during January 2002 to December 2005, were reviewed. Result: Out of sixty-six, forty-nine were females (74.2%) and seventeen were males (25.8%), showing female preponderance. Forty-two (63%) patients were in age group of 51-70 years. Fifty two patients (78%) presented with advanced disease. Main symptom noted was pain associated with anorexia, nausea & vomiting. Major signs were palpable mass, hepatomegaly and jaundice. Adenocarcinoma was reported in sixty-four (97%) cases. Conclusions: Prevalence of gall bladder cancer is higher in females in our series. Most of them were in fifth and sixth decade of life. Gallbladder cancer showed association with gallstones and fifty-two patients (78%) presented with unresectable advanced malignancy.