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Gastroenterology (Expert Forum)
What to do?
Answered by
Kevin Pho, MD - Internal Medicine
Kevin, M.D.
Boston - MA
This forum is for questions regarding Gastroenterology issues such as Acid Reflux (GERD), Barretts Esophagus, Colitis, Colon/Bowel Disorders, Crohn's Disease, Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis, Digestive Disorders, IBS, Stomach Pain.
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What to do?
by ConcernedGB, Mar 27, 2003 12:00AM
I am a 44 year-old female who just lost her mother, age 76, to gall bladder cancer. Her mother, my maternal gradmother, died of "liver cancer" at age 54 years in 1953. I suspect that she had gall bladder cancer too listening to a descrption of symptoms which were similar to my mothers. After all, in the 1950s, they may have called gall bladder cancer liver cancer. Do you know of any hereditary gall bladder cancers? I believe both mother and grandmother had hemochromatosis. Can hemochromatosis cause cancer of the gall bladder? I know it can cause cancer of the liver. Plus, my mother drank HEAVILY from age 50 to 60 years and had very high cholesterol and used tons of hair spray. Could these conditions contribute to cancer of the gall bladder? It just seems to me that it is strange that both passed of such a RARE cancer. Is it true that RARE cancers in the same family makes the likelihood of reoccurrence more likely? I have had an ultrasound of my gall bladder and CAT scan of my abdomen showing a completely "normal" gall bladder now. I'm frightened to death of my gall bladder going cancerous and want to get my gall bladder removed "just because." I feel my chances of getting gall bladder cancer is 50-50. Are these accurate odds? Are my fears irrational? It seems like cancer of the gall bladder is hopeless. Once you show signs, you're a goner and a candidate for the marble orchard. Could I just monitor my gall bladder every 2 years with ultrasound or should I have that sucker yanked out for piece of mind? Please help me!
Doctor's Answer
by Kevin Pho, MD, Mar 27, 2003 12:00AM
, Mar 27, 2003 12:00AM
Hello - thanks for asking your question.
Gallbladder cancer is an uncommon but unfortunately, highly aggressive. Fewer than 5,000 cases are diagnosed in the United States annually. Higher rates of gallbladder cancer is found in Southwestern Native Americans and Mexican-Americans.
There is a genetic predisposition. Other risk factors include gallstone disease, calcification of the gallbladder wall, gallbladder polyps, anomalous pancreatic ductal drainage in which the pancreatic duct drains into the common bile duct, congenital biliary cysts, and some infections (i.e. Salmonella). Essentially, any disease that causes chronic gallbladder inflammation is a risk factor for cancer.
I am not aware of hemochromatosis being a risk factor for gallbladder cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, there is no effective blood or screening test for gallbladder cancer. Unfortunately, without effective screening tests, most gallbladder cancers are found only when the cancer has grown and spread enough to cause symptoms. This is the main reason most people with gallbladder cancer have a poor prognosis.
I cannot give you definite odds for developing gallbladder cancer, but consider that fewer than 5,000 are diagnosed in the United States each year.
Again, there are no recommendations for screening. Ultrasound, endoscopic ultrasound, CT and MRI all have varying results in detecting the disease. Since you have a family history, you may want to discuss with your personal physician the prudence of screening. I cannot recommend anything since there is no literature or studies demonstrating effectiveness.
Followup with your personal physician is essential.
This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.
Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.
Gallbladder cancer is an uncommon but unfortunately, highly aggressive. Fewer than 5,000 cases are diagnosed in the United States annually. Higher rates of gallbladder cancer is found in Southwestern Native Americans and Mexican-Americans.
There is a genetic predisposition. Other risk factors include gallstone disease, calcification of the gallbladder wall, gallbladder polyps, anomalous pancreatic ductal drainage in which the pancreatic duct drains into the common bile duct, congenital biliary cysts, and some infections (i.e. Salmonella). Essentially, any disease that causes chronic gallbladder inflammation is a risk factor for cancer.
I am not aware of hemochromatosis being a risk factor for gallbladder cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, there is no effective blood or screening test for gallbladder cancer. Unfortunately, without effective screening tests, most gallbladder cancers are found only when the cancer has grown and spread enough to cause symptoms. This is the main reason most people with gallbladder cancer have a poor prognosis.
I cannot give you definite odds for developing gallbladder cancer, but consider that fewer than 5,000 are diagnosed in the United States each year.
Again, there are no recommendations for screening. Ultrasound, endoscopic ultrasound, CT and MRI all have varying results in detecting the disease. Since you have a family history, you may want to discuss with your personal physician the prudence of screening. I cannot recommend anything since there is no literature or studies demonstrating effectiveness.
Followup with your personal physician is essential.
This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.
Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.
Shelley