Carcinoma of the Gall Bladder (Robbins pp 899)

General:

• Carcinoma of gall bladder is more common in females (2:1), and has peak incidence in 7^th decade of life.
  
• 5 year mean survival rate = 1%. Associated with gall stones and chronic cholecystitis.
  

1. infiltrating,
   
• diffuse thickening of wall,
• rigid/firm.
2. exophytic.
• cauliflower mass grows into lumen,
• invades the wall.
  

Bile duct carcinoma (Robbins pp 899)

Bile duct carcinomas are quite rare. The same varieties as for gall bladder exist. Macroscopically the tumour tends to fungate (cauliflower like) into the lumen, diffusely infiltrative (i.e.: thickens the wall circumferentially), papillary/polypoid lesions. Microscopically: most are adenocarcinoma, squamous/adenosquamous in some cases. Prognosis is poor, survival rate 6-18 mths.

Category: Pathology Notes