After gallbladder cancer is found and staged, your cancer care team will discuss your treatment options with you. This team may include a surgeon, a radiation oncologist, a medical oncologist, and other health professionals.
It is important for you to take time and think about your choices. In choosing a treatment plan, factors to consider include the type and stage of the cancer, the possible side effects of treatment, your overall health, and the chances of curing the disease, extending life, or relieving symptoms.
If time permits, it is often a good idea to seek a second opinion, particularly for an uncommon cancer such as gallbladder cancer. A second opinion can provide more information and help you feel more confident about your chosen treatment plan.
A second opinion may be especially important if surgery may be an option to treat the cancer. Nearly all doctors agree that surgery offers the only real chance for curing people with gallbladder cancer. But there are differences of opinion about how advanced a gallbladder cancer can be and still be treatable with surgery. The surgery needed for gallbladder cancer is often complex and requires an experienced surgeon. These operations are most often done at major cancer centers and may not be available in every community.
In general, some cancers that have not spread far beyond the gallbladder may still be treatable by surgery, unless the cancer has spread into major blood vessels. For instance, if the cancer has invaded the liver – but only in one area and not too deeply – it may be possible to remove all of the cancer by surgery. On the other hand, if the cancer has spread to both sides of the liver, to the lining of the abdominal cavity, to organs far away from the gallbladder, or if it surrounds a major blood vessel, surgery is unlikely to remove it all.
For cancers that can't be treated with surgery, other options may include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or other treatments to try to slow the growth of the cancer or relieve symptoms.
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