[Radical surgery for gallbladder carcinoma]

The aims of the study were to evaluate the adequacy of the surgical treatment and results of curative extended resections for gallbladder cancer. To this end we carried out a retrospective analysis of 59 patients operated on at our institution from 1983 to 2000. Nineteen patients received a curative resection with a radical intent (4 stage I-II patients and 15 stage III-IV patients, according to the AJCC classification). Kaplan-Meyer survival was 100% after one year and 66.6% after five years for stage I-II patients; 44.4% after one year and 0% after 5 years for stage III patients; 75.0% after one year and 0% after 5 years for stage IV patients. Our analysis confirms the poor prognosis of gallbladder carcinoma. In stage I-II patients surgical treatment offers a good chance of survival. In stage III-IV patients surgery affords good palliation. "Curative" extended resection is, however, a safe surgical procedure and offers a real possibility of enhancing survival.