Background: The effect of radical resection in gallbladder cancer is still area of debate.
Aim of study: To determine the criteria of surgery in primary and incidental gallbladder cancer. method: Eighty-four patients with gallbladder cancer were evaluated between 1999 and 2008. Sixty patients (72.4%) were symptomatic. Explorative laparotomy was performed in 40 (66.7%), palliative procedure in 5 (8.3%) patients in stage pT3-4, N1, M0-1. Cholecystectomy only or completed with wedge resection of the gallbladder bed and lymfadenectomy as radical procedure was performed only in 7 (1.7%) patients in pT1-2, N0-1, M0. Twenty four (28.6%) patients had incidental gall bladder carcinoma. Radical cholecystectomy was performed in 4 (16.7%) - pT1a, N0, M0, palliative cholecystectomy in 3 patients (12.5%) - pT3, N1, M0. Radical reoperation was performed in 15 (62.5%) patients in stage pT1b-2, N0-1, M0.
Results: Patients survival after explorative laparotomy and palliative procedures was no longer than 7 months. Four from seven patients died after radical operation 12-18 months after operation. Six from 15 radically re-operated patients are alive in interval 4 months and 8 years. Nine patients died in interval 9 months and 4 years after re-operation.
Conclusion: Radical surgical procedure is the treatment of choice for patients with gall bladder carcinoma especially in stage pT1-2, N0, M0.