Gastrointestinal (GI) Oncology

Patient and Family Education

Certain medical conditions and other circumstances may increase a person’s chances of developing gallbladder cancer. Among them are the following:

Gallstones: Although the majority of people with gallstones never develop gallbladder cancer, the majority of people who develop the cancer have had gallstones.
Other gallbladder conditions: The risk of developing gallbladder cancer is higher among people who have had other conditions of the gallbladder such as inflammation, polyps, or porcelain gallbladder (a condition in which calcium deposits cover the gallbladder).
Bile duct conditions: Persons with conditions that cause reflux (the back-up of acidic juice into the pancreatic and bile ducts) and persons with cysts in the bile duct may be more likely to develop gallbladder cancer.
Age/gender/ethnicity: The risk of developing gallbladder cancer is greatest among people in their seventies, women, and Native Americans. Gallstones and gallbladder inflammation are also more common in women and Native Americans and may be predisposing factors for cancer.
Obesity: People who are significantly overweight have a higher risk of developing gallbladder cancer.

This page was last updated on: October 5, 2009.