Several types of treatment can be used for gallbladder cancer. Which may work best for you? It depends on a number of factors. These include the type, size, location, and stage of your cancer. Other important factors include your age and overall health, how well the rest of your liver is working and what side effects you find acceptable. Your doctor can answer any questions or concerns you have.
The two main kinds of treatments are local treatments and systemic treatments. Local treatments like surgery and radiation remove, destroy or control cancer cells in one area of the body. Systemic treatments like chemotherapy destroy or control cancer cells throughout the whole body.
- Surgery: The goal of surgery is often to remove as much of the tumor as possible. The gallbladder may need to be removed. This is called a simple cholecystectomy. Nearby tissues may also need to be removed. This is called an extended or radical cholecystectomy. That may include some of the liver, the bile duct, and lymph nodes. If the whole tumor can’t be removed, surgery may also be done to ease symptoms.
- Radiation therapy: Radiation uses X-rays to kill cancer cells in a specific area. This treatment may be used after surgery to try to get rid of any cancer cells that are left. It can also be used to treat cancer that can’t be removed with surgery. It also may be used along with chemotherapy to help relieve symptoms from advanced cancer.
- Chemotherapy: The goal of this treatment is to reduce the chance that the cancer will spread to other parts of your body. It is also used to kill cancer cells that may have already spread beyond the gallbladder. Chemotherapy is usually given along with surgery or radiation. Lose doses of chemotherapy may given with radiation. This can make the radiation work directly on tumor cells. Chemotherapy may be given by itself if the cancer has spread from the gallbladder and can’t be fully removed with surgery.
- Clinical trials: New ways to treat gallbladder cancer are being tested in clinical trials. Before starting treatment, ask your doctor if there are any clinical trials you should consider.
- The Multidisciplinary Cancer Clinic: The INTEGRIS Cancer Institute’s Multidisciplinary Gastrointestinal clinic brings together medical oncologists, gastroenterologists, radiation oncologists and radiologists as a team to provide specific services to the patient with the aim of ensuring that the patient receives optimum care and support.