Gallbladder cancer is often a deadly form of cancer because it is usually asymptomatic for a long time. Thus, by the time it is diagnosed, it has often spread to other parts of the body. One of the reasons for this is because the gallbladder is deep inside the body, making it difficult for physicians to feel it manually. It is important, therefore, to be aware of the gallbladder cancer symptoms and signs. While these often mimic other conditions, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Common Gallbladder Cancer Symptoms and Signs:
1. Abdominal Pain
Stomach pain, and particularly on the right side of the body, is one of the most common gallbladder cancer symptoms and signs. People often feel as if the pain is dragging. The tumor may block the body's bile duct, in which case the pain will be sharper.
2. Nausea and Vomiting
Once gallbladder cancer advances, it is common to feel nauseous or even be sick. In fact, some 50% of patients have regular sickness. Usually, anti-sickness drugs can help with this.
3. Jaundice
Jaundice can happen for two reasons: either your liver is malfunctioning, or your biliary system is blocked. The symptoms of jaundice include:
– The whites of the eyes and/or the skin, becoming yellow
– Severe itching, although this doesn't happen in all patients
– The urine turning darker
– Bowel movements and stool being very pale in color
Jaundice happens because the blood contains too many bile salts. It is common for gallbladder cancer tumors to block the common bile duct, meaning that the bile is not longer able to drain normally. Instead, high levels start to form in the blood and other tissues of the body. This makes everything look yellow, as well as causing pruritis in some people, which is the itching. The lack of bile in the digestive system is what causes the dark urine and pale stools.
Around 50% of people with gallbladder cancer also develop jaundice, particularly in the later stages of the cancer. However, being jaundiced does not necessarily mean that you have cancer. It is far more likely that you have hepatitis or another form of liver infection.
Other Symptoms:
There are a few other signs of gallbladder cancer, but they are much less common. They include:
– Anorexia, or severe loss of appetite
– Inexplicable weight loss
– A swollen stomach
Stomach pain and swelling are in fact very common with gallbladder cancer. However, it is also symptomatic of hundreds of other problems, and it is much more likely that one of them is the issue that is behind the pain. However, you should never gamble when it comes to your health, and particularly not with gallbladder cancer. If caught early, gallbladder cancer is quite treatable and has a reasonable prognosis. However, because it is often in very advanced stages before it is discovered, it is most often lethal.
As such, if you experience any of the above symptoms, and you have any concerns, you should seek medical advice and discuss your options. A physician will be able to order tests that can either confirm or rule out cancer.