Gall bladder cancer is the cancer originating in the gall bladder organ. It is a small pear shaped organ situated below the liver in the human body. The function of gall bladder is the storage of bile juice which is required for the digestion process. The bile juice is secreted by the liver, and stored in the gallbladder.
Due to the small size of the gallbladder, often the gallbladder cancer remains unnoticed during the early stages. The prognosis during early stages of gallbladder is good. However, with the advancing stage, the prognosis becomes poorer. For medications, visit 3MEDS-Best Cancer Medicines Supplier in Delhi.
Most cancers originate in glandular cells of gallbladder. The gallbladder doesn’t produce any symptoms initially due to its hidden nature. The symptoms are produced more in the advanced stages which are as described below.
What are the symptoms of Gallbladder cancer?
· Pain in the abdomen: the increase in the size of the gallbladder due to the development of tumour results abdominal pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen.
· Bloating and swelling of abdomen
· Jaundice: yellowish discoloration of skin and sclera of eyes due to blocking of bile in the gallbladder caused by the tumour growth.
· Increase in size of the gallbladder: often, the enlargement remains inconspicuous in early stages, but with the growing tumour, your doctor may feel the enlargement on physical examination.
General symptoms include,
· Nausea
· Vomiting
· Fever
· Unexplained weight loss
· Fatigue
· Loss of appetite
· Itching of the skin
· Tarry black stools
Different types of treatments for gallbladder:
Any form of cancer treatment requires multidisciplinary approach based on the stage of cancer, the overall health status of an individual, preferences of the individual and the possible side effects. Order Anti-cancer medicines Delhi-3MEDS. The different treatment modalities for gallbladder cancer are,
Surgical intervention:
The treatment aims at the removal of the tumour along with little margin of healthy adjacent tissue.
Cholecystectomy: this procedure involves complete removal of the gallbladder. The extended cholecystectomy is another procedure wherein, the additional 1 inch (2.54) or liver tissue is removed surgically along with gallbladder. The lymph nodes are also removed surgically.
Radical gallbladder resection: it is a complex procedure which involves resection of gallbladder. Along with a wedge shaped section of liver, common bile-duct, ligaments between the intestines and, the liver, and surrounding lymph nodes. It is often suggested for complete removal of cancerous cells.
Palliative surgery: in the advanced stage, surgery may be used as a symptomatic treatment. To relieve symptoms caused by the tumour, a gallbladder may be removed to relieve the ductal blockage.
Radiotherapy:
The use of high-intensity radiation to kill the cancer cells is known as radiotherapy. External beam radiation is the most commonly recommended radiotherapy for gallbladder. The body is subjected to radiation from outer source.
Radiotherapy is given either prior to the surgery to shrink the tumour size, or after the surgery to eliminate remaining cancerous cells. Sometimes, radiotherapy is given in between the surgery to shrink the tumour size. This is known as Intraoperative Radiation Therapy.
Radiotherapy is also used in combination with chemotherapy to enhance the effects.
Chemotherapy:
The usage of medicines to destroy the cancer cells is known as chemotherapy. These are given systemically after the prescription from your oncologist. Buy prescription cancer medicines online from 3MEDS.
Chemotherapy may involve single regime or combination of drugs to destroy the tumour cells. It is recommended post-surgery to avoid cancer recurrence.
Common drugs used to treat gallbladder cancer are,
· Capecitabine (xeloda) is recommended for 6 months post-surgery.
· Gemcitabine (gemzar)
· Fluorouracil (5-FU)
· Oxaliplatin (eloxatin)
· Cisplatin (platinol)
Chemotherapy is also used for providing palliative care.
Immunotherapy:
It is treatment modality which is used to boost the immune mechanism to fight off the cancer cells. The drugs used are pembrolizumab and nivolumab for MSI-H gallbladder tumours.
In a nutshell,
Early diagnosis of the gallbladder can save life. Do not hesitate to visit your doctor, if you notice symptoms. Converse with your doctor and clear your doubts. Know about the side effects before starting up with the treatment. Do not lose hope and stay positive. The best medicine is your healthy mind. Read motivational stories of cancer survivors. To cut off expenses on medications, make use of 3MEDS-Best online pharmacy in Delhi which provides discount on various medications.