Gallbladder cancer: surgical results after cholecystectomy in 25 patients with lamina propria invasion and 26 patients with muscular layer invasion.
OBJECTIVE
It has been stated that simple cholecystectomy is sufficient treatment for all patients with pT1 gallbladder cancer. However, other authors note the necessity of carrying out extended surgery when there is muscular-layer involvement.


METHODS
A consecutive series of gallbladder carcinomas with lamina propria or muscular layer invasion were analyzed. Between July 1982 and December 2000, 51 patients with pT1 gallbladder carcinomas were treated with simple cholecystectomy (group A, 25 patients with lamina propria-invasion; group B, 26 patients with muscular-layer invasion). Patients with intraepithelial carcinomas were excluded from the study.


RESULTS
There were no differences between the groups in average age, sex ratios, association with other tumors, histologic type, malignancy grade, cholecystitis type, macroscopic aspects, lymph node status, or treatment applied. After an average of 6 years' follow-up, no patients in group A and nine patients (34.6%) in group B died due to gallbladder carcinoma. Cystic lymph nodes could be studied in five of these nine patients who relapsed, and the results were negative for metastasis. Lymphatic or venous invasion was observed in five of these nine patients.


CONCLUSIONS
According to these results, cholecystectomy is not sufficient treatment for gallbladder carcinoma with muscular-layer invasion.
Otero
Juan C Rodríguez
JC
Surgical Oncology, Hospital del Centenario, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Humboldt 4032, 2000 Rosario, Argentina.
Proske
Amalia
A
Vallilengua
Cristina
C
Luján
Marta
M
Poletto
Leonor
L
Pezzotto
Stella M
SM
Fein
Luis
L
Otero
Jorgelina Rodríguez
JR
Celoria
Guillermo
G
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D005260:Female; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000473:pathology