Political correctness has reached medical school. Last week, I was talking to a student about what sort of patients tend to be affected by gallstones. I mentioned the handy, alliterative phrase by which, in my day, we used to remember this at-risk group, and was told in no uncertain terms that medical students didn’t talk like that any more.

The gallbladder is a hollow pear-shaped organ, in the right side of the abdominal cavity. Its main job is to store around 50ml of bile, first formed in the liver. After a meal, a hormone prompts the gallbladder to contract, releasing its contents into the duodenum. Once here, bile coats any fat which has been eaten, so facilitating digestion by enzymes.

Cholangiocarcinoma (gallbladder cancer) is the most serious disease to affect this organ. almost always a disease of old age, it tends to be diagnosed at a late stage, by which time the liver bed is often involved. This makes surgery difficult and the prognosis poor.

Gallstones are much more common, formed from cholesterol, calcium and bile salts. Problems occur when the stones become too big to pass easily through the neck of the gallbladder, or when they get stuck in the duct that drains from the gallbladder into the duodenum. Symptoms may include a temperature, pain in the right upper quarter of the abdomen and jaundice. sometimes the offending stone will pass by itself. but it may be necessary to remove the gallbladder surgically.

Back when I trained, the arrival of a patient suffering from abdominal pain who happened to be “40, fat, fair, female and fertile” prompted a diagnosis of gallstones.

Gabriel Weston is a surgeon and author of Direct Red: A Surgeon’s Story

Gallbladder cancer symptoms do not occur right away. Symptoms usually occur when cancer gets into the advanced stage. This condition is not very common.  nevertheless, people with gallbladder problems should be familiar with this disease.

Patients with gallbladder issues should control their condition regularly just to make sure that everything is all right. those who are on gallbladder treatment should follow the doctor’s instructions in order to cure gallbladder disease as soon as possible and reduce the chances for further complications.

Symptoms of gallbladder cancer come quite late and include weakness, appetite loss (and weight loss as a result); upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Gallbladder can also become enlarged. These symptoms can be accompanied by fever, bloating and general discomfort. Treatment for gallbladder cancer is surgery. Removing entire organ is the most efficient treatment for this illness. However, healing is possible only in cases when gallbladder cancer is diagnosed in time. considering the fact that the symptoms occur very late (sometimes too late), cancer can get into its advanced stage which makes it hard or quite impossible to treat. Gallbladder can be removed, but it is no guarantee that the condition will actually heal and that the patient will live. in some cases, death can occur even though the gallbladder has been removed.

There are other conditions with symptoms similar to those of gallbladder cancer. that is why you should not get frightened right away but visit your doctor and see what the problem really is. if you already know that you have problems with gallbladder, you should take care of your health, diet and lifestyle and to go to frequent checks. Do not wait for the symptoms to occur but control your condition regularly. your doctor will answer all your questions and give you advice how to deal with gallbladder problems.

Tags: Cancer of The Gall Bladder, Gallbladder, Gallbladder Cancer