Risk Factors for Gallbladder Cancer in Nepal a Case Control Study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Epidemiology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a highly fatal disease with a poor prognosis, characterized by a 5-year survival rate below 10%.
• While rare globally, GBC is the sixth most common cancer and the second most common gastrointestinal cancer among women in Nepal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the associations between demographic, lifestyle, dietary, and reproductive factors and the risk of gallbladder cancer.
• To identify key risk factors and protective elements for GBC in the Nepalese population.

Main Methods:

• A hospital-based, matched case-control study was conducted involving newly diagnosed primary GBC cases and healthy controls.
• Data were collected via semi-structured interviews between April 2012 and April 2013, with controls matched for age, sex, and marital status.
• Conditional logistic regression was employed for bivariate and multivariate analyses to determine odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

Main Results:

• Significant risk factors identified included illiteracy, history of gallstone disease, current smoking, early menarche (<13 years), high parity (>3), and mustard oil use.
• A significant protective effect was observed with high fruit consumption (at least once a week).
• Multivariate analysis confirmed that history of gallstone disease, early menarche, current smoking, and high fruit consumption remained significant factors.

Conclusions:

• History of gallstone disease, cigarette smoking, and early menarche are associated with an increased risk of gallbladder cancer.
• High consumption of fruits demonstrates a protective effect against gallbladder cancer.
• These findings highlight modifiable risk factors and protective behaviors relevant to GBC prevention.