Staging
Staging is a process that tells a doctor if a cancer has spread and if it has, how far. Here are the stages of gallbladder cancer and the most common treatments offered for each:
Stage 0
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Description
- "Carcinoma in situ." Abnormal cells found in inner layer of gallbladder, typically following routine cholecystectomy.
Treatment
- Surgery to remove the gallbladder.
Stage 1
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Description
- Cancer has spread outside of the inner layer, to the middle muscular layer.
Treatment
- Surgery to remove the gallbladder with or without surrounding tissue, occasionally followed by radiation therapy or chemoradiation.
Stage 2
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Description
- Cancer has spread outside of the middle muscular layer to the outer layer, but no extension beyond the outer layer.
Treatment
- Surgery followed by chemoradiation, surgery or radiation alone, or clinical trials.
Stage 3A
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Description
- Cancer has grown through the outer layer and may have invaded the liver or other nearby structures.
Treatment
- Chemotherapy, chemoradiation, surgery, palliative therapy or clinical trials.
Stage 3B
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Description
- Cancer is found in nearby lymph nodes. Tumor may be in the inner, middle, or outer layer of the gallbladder.
Treatment
- Chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, palliative care.
Stage 4
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Description
- Cancer has invaded the major blood vessels of the liver (portal vein or hepatic artery).
- OR
- Cancer has spread to two or more nearby organs or structures besides the liver.
Treatment
- Chemotherapy, radiation, palliative care, clinical trials.
Stage 4
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Description
- Cancer has spread to distant organs. It may or may not have spread to lymph nodes or grown completely through the gallbladder.
- OR
- Cancer has spread to distant lymph nodes, but not to distant organs. It may or may not have grown through the gallbladder.
Treatment
- Chemotherapy, palliative care, clinical trials.
