[Benign polypoid lesions of the gallbladder. Their relation to gallbladder adenocarcinoma]

Out of 12,153 cholecystectomies performed over a period of 10 years, 114 polypoid lesions were found in 81 removed gallbladders (0.7%). 225 adenocarcinomas of the gallbladder were found in the same population (1.85%). The mean age of patients with polypoid lesions was 46 years, with a male to female ratio of 1:2.7. 94% of lesions measured less than 10 mm and only 9.6% were adenomas. Among these, dysplastic alterations were found in all and one had evidence of early adenocarcinoma. The mean age of patients with adenocarcinoma was 62 years with a male to female ratio of 1:6. Residual adenomas were found in 2 cases and multiple adenomas coexisted in another case. Thus, polypoid lesions of the gallbladder are less frequent than adenocarcinoma. Only adenomas show a potential to evolve to malignant lesions, but their low incidence makes them an unimportant precursor of gallbladder carcinoma.