Incidence of Gallbladder Carcinoma: Conservative or Radical Surgery

Reprints available directly from the publisher Photocopying permitted by license only This study was designed to investigate issues concerning "in-apparent carcinoma" of the gallbladder and the effectiveness of a radical second operation in the treatment of inapparent carcinoma. Ninety-eight patients with inapparent carcinoma were analyzed according to the "pT" category of TNM (tumor, nodes, and metastases) classification. Eighty patients underwent cholecystectomy alone, and 14 patients had a subsequent radical operation. After cholecystectomy alone it was found that (1) Patients with pTl cancer had a 5-year survival rate (5ysr) of 100%; (2) In patients with pT2, 5ysr was 40%; and (3) Patients with pT3 showed 5ysr of 0%. Results of a radical second operation showed that (1) Patients with pT2 cancer showed a 5ysr of 90%, significantly better (p < 0.05) than pT2 treated with cholecystectomy alone; (2) There was a prolongation of survival in patients with pT3 or pT4. It was concluded that a radical second operation should be carried out for pT2 or more advanced inapparent carcinoma, whereas follow-up without a second operation is recommended for pTl cancer without positive margin. Clinicopathologic features of 31 patients with subclinical gallbladder carcinoma were reviewed in an attempt to determine the parameters for a course of therapy. Subclinical gallbladder carcinoma was defined as a gallbladder carcinoma that was first diagnosed microscopically by surgical pathologists. Of 31 patients, there were 175