Certain risk factors may predispose a patient to cancer of the gallbladder.
Risk factors for carcinoma of the gallbladder:
(1) cholelithiasis, especially with increasing patient age, if symptomatic or if large
(2) chronic bacterial cholecystitis
(3) calcification of the wall (porcelain gallbladder)
(4) adenomatous polyps
(5) AIDS
(6) anomolous pancreatobiliary ductal junction
where:
• According to Ranshoff and Gracie the risk for gallbladder cancer in patients with gallstones is 0.02 percent per year.
Limitations:
• Many patients may develop carcinoma of the biliary system without identified risk factors.
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Specialty: Hematology Oncology, Surgery, general, Gastroenterology