RADICAL CHOLECYSTECTOMY IN THE TREATMENT OF GALLBLADDER CARCINOMA

Abstract

The records of 35 patients, who had Cholecystectomy at different centers for benign diseases but adenocarcinoma was found incidentally on histopathologic examination and referred to Ankara Oncology Hospital between August 1930-July 1936, were reviewed retrospectively. The median age was 58. Twenty seven patients were female and 8 were male. After reviewing the previous operation records and following the screening tests, 10 patients were reoperated. Among these, 7 patients had R3 radical cholecystectomy by adding gallbladder bed resection (wedge resection of liver) and lymph node dissection to previous cholecystectomy and 3 had hepatic artery catheterization because of hepatic metastasis. No further treatment was added to the remaining 25 cases because of advanced stages and patients' refusal. The patients were evaluated according to demographic characteristics, invasion of the tumor, stage and the effect of surgical procedure on survival. In the patients who had limited invasion, early stage disease and who had radical cholecystectomy, the survival was significantly better. According to these findings, it can be concluded that in the treatment of gallbladder carcinoma, radical cholecystectomy may provide longer survival. Patients with incidental carcinoma should be reoperated by wedge resection of liver and regional lymph node dissection.