What are the signs and symptoms of gallbladder cancer?
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).
