Ans. : Gallbladder cancer is a rare disease in which malignant (cancer) cells are found in the tissues of the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that lies just under the liver in the upper abdomen. The gallbladder stores bile, a fluid made by the liver to digest fat. When food is being broken down in the stomach and intestines, bile is released from the gallbladder through a tube called the common bile duct, which connects the gallbladder and liver to the first part of the small intestine.

The wall of the gallbladder has 3 main layers of tissue.

* Mucosal (innermost) layer.

* Muscularis (middle, muscle) layer.

* Serosal (outer) layer.

Between these layers is supporting connective tissue. Primary gallbladder cancer starts in the innermost layer and spreads through the outer layers as it grows.

Ans. : The majority of these cancers are "adenocarcinomas", with subtypes such as papillary, nodular, and tubular, depending on the appearance of the tumor cells under the microscope. Less common subtypes include: squamous cell, signet ring cell, and adenosquamous (adenoacanthoma).

Ans. : Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Risk factors for gallbladder cancer include the following:

* Being female.

* Being Native American.

Ans. : Unfortunately, there are no specific, surefire symptoms that suggest a diagnosis of gallbladder cancer. Usually, patients present with problems resulting from blockage of the bile ducts, such as jaundice, loss of appetite and weight loss. There may be a mass and/or pain in the abdomen, especially on the right under the ribcage. However, people often have no symptoms, or their symptoms closely mimic those of gallstones. The most common way gallbladder tumors are diagnosed is incidentally, during surgery performed to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy) for some other reason. About 1-2% cholecystectomies reveal a cancer of the gallbladder.

On patient examination, a healthcare provider (HCP) may detect jaundice of skin or the whites of the eyes, a mass in the right upper abdominal quadrant or around the belly button (periumbilical).