[Gallbladder carcinoma--results of treatment]

One-hundred patients treated for gallbladder carcinoma in the years 1970-1986 are described. They accounted for 2.63% of all patients treated surgically for diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts. Coexistence of carcinoma and cholelithiasis was found in 76% of cases. In 64 cases only exploratory laparotomy was done and biopsy was done for histological examination, since the progression of the tumour precluded any radical operation. In 15 cases cholecystectomy was done and in the remaining 21 patients palliative procedures were done. In the perioperative period 17 patients died. Information on the length of survival time was obtained in 43 cases. It was longest in cases in which the degree of progression of the tumour was classified into stages I and II after Nevin. Six patients are alive 7 months to 8 years after the operation. The authors think that the methods for improvement of the results of surgical treatment should be sought in prevention of this carcinoma that is early surgical treatment of cholelithiasis.