[Gallbladder cancer: anatomic and anatomo-pathologic considerations]

Gallbladder cancer is a common neoplasia in Chile. Subclinical forms constitute 30 to 50% of all cases and poorly differentiated lesions are more common in Chile than elsewhere. Traditional grading of this neoplasia according to the degree of wall infiltration neglects important aspects such as the discontinuity of the muscular layer, heterogeneity of the subserosa, microinvasion of the mucosa and Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses. All of these factors may influence prognosis. Surgical biopsy of liver and lymph nodes in cases without infiltration of the mucosa has revealed up to 60% rate of hepatic infiltration and a somewhat lower on for lymph nodes. We have designed a study that will evaluate the importance of all these factors in the prognosis of gallbladder cancer in our institution.