Gallbladder
cancer is a rare cancer of the biliary tract. Your gallbladder stores and your bile duct transports bile, a fluid produced
by your liver that's essential to the digestive process. Gallbladder
cancer seldom produces symptoms in the early stages. In fact, early gallbladder cancer is often only discovered when the gallbladder
is removed as a treatment for gallstones. Otherwise, gallbladder cancer is often quite advanced by the time it's diagnosed. When gallbladder cancer is caught early, removing your gallbladder
or part of the bile duct may eliminate all the cancerous cells. In advanced cases, treatment won't cure gallbladder cancer
but can help relieve symptoms and improve your quality of life. Symptoms Jaundice. A yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes, along with tea- or coffee-colored urine and light-colored
stools, are common initial signs of bile duct cancer. Enlarged
gallbladder. A blocked bile duct can cause bile
to accumulate in your gallbladder, making it larger than normal. Although your gallbladder is hidden behind other organs in
your abdomen, your doctor can sometimes feel this enlargement during a physical exam or it may be detected on an ultrasound. Intense itching (pruritis). When the flow of bile is obstructed by a tumor, bile salts may be deposited in your
skin, leading to intense itching. Losing
weight without trying Nausea Fever
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