Early gallbladder cancer: is further treatment necessary?

The goal of this study was to evaluate a series of patients with early gallbladder cancer, focusing on the selection of treatment and the role of Rokitansky Aschoff sinus infiltration.

We performed a retrospective analysis of a prospective series of 371 patients with gallbladder cancer. Specimens were reviewed by an independent pathologist to confirm the diagnosis and depth of infiltration and to evaluate the presence of Rokitansky Aschoff sinus involvement.

Forty-nine and 45 patients with muscular (pT1b) and mucosal (pT1a) infiltration gallbladder cancer tumors were studied respectively. Simple cholecystectomy was the treatment in all patients, with the exception of 11 patients who underwent further surgery. Rokitansky Aschoff sinus invasion was seen in seven patients with mucosa (pT1a) and three with muscular (pT1b) compromise. The 5-year survival rates of patients with muscular (pT1b) and mucosal (pT1a) infiltration were 87.6% and 86.4%, respectively. Patients with Rokitansky Aschoff involvement had a lower survival rate than those with no involvement in both categories.

Early gallbladder cancer is associated with a favorable prognosis and cholecystectomy should be the standard treatment. Despite some patients having a worse prognosis, there are no data to support more aggressive treatment.