- Pathogenesis:
- Women over the age of 50 are primarily affected.
- 80%-90% have cholelithiasis.
- The cancer is diagnosed at a late stage due to lack of specific symptoms, rapidly progresses, and is invariably fatal (1yr survival < 10%).
- Symptoms are usually secondary to coexisting cholecystitis or cholelithiasis.
- Radiographic findings:
- US & CT: show a mass in gallbladder fossa with extension to the liver.
- Figures: US shows echogenic mass adherent to gallbladder fundus (arrows). CT shows enhancing mass within the gallbladder (arrows) with involvement of the liver (arrowhead).
- Other possible findings include thickening of gallbladder wall, a fixed (immobile) intraluminal gallbladder mass, gallstones, biliary obstruction, nodal involvement, and hematogenous metastases.
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