Experiences with
Gallbladder cancer

SymptomsCausesDiagnosisMedical treatments

Symptoms of gallbladder cancer can include your eyes or skin turning yellow, losing weight, a lump or pain in your tummy and feeling or being sick.

Anyone can get gallbladder cancer. Women, people over 75 and those with other conditions affecting the gallbladder may be more likely to get it.

Gallbladder cancer can be diagnosed using tests such as blood tests, scans, a biopsy or a small operation called a laparoscopy.

Treatment for gallbladder cancer depends on your situation. You may have surgery, chemotherapy, targeted medicines or immunotherapy, and radiotherapy.

Main symptoms of gallbladder cancer

Gallbladder cancer may not have any symptoms, or they might be hard to spot.

Symptoms of gallbladder cancer include:

the whites of your eyes turning yellow or your skin turning yellow, which may be less obvious on brown or black skin (jaundice) – you may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual
loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
a high temperature, or you feel hot or shivery
a lump in your tummy

Other symptoms can affect your digestion, such as:

feeling or being sick
aching pain in the right side of your tummy, sometimes described as a "dragging feeling"
sharp pain in your tummy
a very swollen tummy that's not related to when you eat

If you have another condition like irritable bowel syndrome you may get symptoms like these regularly.

You might find you get used to them. But it's important to be checked by a GP if your symptoms change, get worse, or do not feel normal for you.

the whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow
you're being sick for more than 2 days
you have symptoms of gallbladder cancer that you're worried about, but are not sure where to get help

111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online .

a lump in your tummy
lost a noticeable amount of weight
symptoms of gallbladder cancer, such as pain or swelling in your tummy, that get worse or do not get better after 2 weeks
a condition that causes symptoms with your digestion, and your symptoms are not getting better after 2 weeks using your usual treatments

Who is more likely to get gallbladder cancer

Anyone can get gallbladder cancer. It's not always clear what causes it.

You might be more likely to get it if you:

are over the age of 75 – it's most common in people over 85
are a woman
have certain medical conditions, such as gallstones, growths (polyps) in your gallbladder, porcelain gallbladder, abnormal bile ducts, long-term swelling of the gallbladder or bile ducts, or diabetes
have a brother, sister or parent who had gallbladder cancer
have Latin American or Asian heritage

Many gallbladder cancers are linked to your lifestyle.

How to lower your chance of getting gallbladder cancer

You cannot always prevent gallbladder cancer. But making healthy changes can lower your chances of getting it.

try to lose weight if you're overweight
try to cut down on alcohol – avoid drinking more than 14 units a week
try to quit smoking

Tests for gallbladder cancer

You'll need more tests and scans to check for gallbladder cancer if the GP refers you to a specialist.

These tests can include:

blood tests
scans, like an ultrasound scan (sometimes from inside your body using an endoscope), CT scan, PET scan, MRI scan, or a type of X-ray called a cholangiography
collecting a small sample of cells from the gallbladder (called a biopsy) to be checked for cancer
a small operation to look inside your tummy, called a laparoscopy
a test called an ERCP – find out more about ERCP from Cancer Research UK

You may not have all these tests.

These tests can also help find problems in other nearby organs, such as your bile ducts, pancreas or liver.

Main treatments for gallbladder cancer

Gallbladder cancer is often treatable, but it can be difficult to treat.

The treatment you have will depend on:

the size and type of gallbladder cancer you have
where it is
if it has spread
your general health

It may include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The specialist care team looking after you will:

explain the treatments, benefits and side effects
work with you to create a treatment plan that is best for you
help you manage any side effects, including changes to your diet to help you digest your food

You'll have regular check-ups during and after any treatments. You may also have tests and scans.

If you have any symptoms or side effects that you're worried about, talk to your specialists. You do not need to wait for your next check-up.

Where to find help and support

If you have gallbladder cancer you and your loved ones will be supported throughout your treatment by a clinical nurse specialist and a group of specialists.

The clinical nurse specialist, or another member of your specialist team, will be able to give you information on local support services that you may find helpful.

There are also national cancer charities that offer support and information about gallbladder cancer.