Do gallstones cause gallbladder cancer?
Gallstones are the most common risk factor for gallbladder cancer. Between 75% and 90% of people with gallbladder cancer also have gallstones and an inflamed gallbladder. Gallbladder cancer is more likely to happen if your gallbladder has a single large gallstone than several small ones. Doctors believe that large gallstones grow over a long time, irritating the gallbladder wall and increasing the risk for gallbladder cancer. Although gallstones are common, fewer than 1% of people with them will get gallbladder cancer.
