Gall bladder cancer
Diagnosis and tests
Diagnosing gall bladder cancer
Your family doctor (GP) will talk to you about your symptoms. Your GP will do blood tests and refer you to hospital if they are concerned. Tests you might have include:
Your doctor will pass a thin, flexible tube through your mouth and into your stomach and bowel. Here they can look at your bile duct and check for any abnormal changes. They can also inject dye into the duct and check for blockages on an X-ray.
[Read more about ERCP].
Your doctor passes a thin, flexible tube through your mouth and down into your stomach and bowel. A device called a probe is then put through the tube. This uses sound waves to look at organs near to your gall bladder.
Your doctor puts a thin needle through your tummy and into your liver. A dye is injected into your bile duct so that your doctor can see any blockages on an X-ray.
Your doctor puts a thin needle through your tummy and into your liver. A dye is injected into your bile duct so that your doctor can see any blockages on an X-ray.
Your doctor will make a small cut in your tummy (abdomen) and put in a small, thin flexible tube with a camera attached to it. This lets your doctor look for any abnormal changes in your gall bladder and other organs, such as your liver. A sample of cells (biopsy) can be taken at this time.
Your doctor makes a cut in your tummy (abdomen) to check for abnormal changes. A laparotomy can sometimes lead to more surgery, depending on what your doctor finds. For example, removing your gall bladder.
If you are diagnosed with gall bladder cancer, we're here for you.
Our cancer nurses are here if you need information or just want to talk. They can help you to understand your diagnosis and what to expect, send you information and tell you about our services.
Further tests for gall bladder cancer
You may need further tests to give your doctors more information about your general health and about your cancer. For example:
A type of X-ray to give a picture of the tissues inside your body.
This is a scan that uses magnetic energy to build up a picture of the tissues inside your body.
A device like a microphone passed over your tummy to give a picture of your gall bladder and nearby organs. It can show any abnormal changes.
Blood tests can check how well your liver is working.
An X-ray that looks at the blood vessels around your gall bladder by injecting a special dye into them. This dye can be seen on the X-ray and shows if any blood vessels are blocked or affected by a tumour.
The tests you have can help to:
- Stage your cancer. This means finding out the size and position of the cancer.
Some tests may be used to see how you are responding to treatment.
Waiting for test results
While some results may come back quickly, others may take a few weeks. Waiting for results can be an anxious time. It may help to talk things over with your doctor or nurse or with a relative or close friend. You can also call our Support Line on 1800 200 700 or visit a Daffodil Centre to speak to a cancer nurse.
What are the stages of gall bladder cancer?
Staging means finding out how big the cancer is and if it has spread to other parts of your body. Staging will help your doctor to plan the best treatment for you.
The staging system normally used in gall bladder cancer is called TNM. This stands for:
- Tumour (T): How big is the tumour
- Node (N): Is there cancer in your lymph nodes?
- Metastasis (M): Has the cancer has spread to other parts of your body?
Your doctor often uses this information to give your cancer a number stage – from 1 to 4.
A higher number means a more advanced cancer. Some stages are further divided into stage A and B. Your doctor will explain staging to you.
Knowing the stage of your cancer helps your team to plan the best treatment for you.
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