title: Squamous variant of gallbladder cancer: is it different from adenocarcinoma?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Literature on squamous variants of gallbladder cancer (GBC) is limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective analysis of GBC patients operated on between August 2009 and March 2012. Patients with adenosquamous carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma were compared with adenocarcinoma for clinicopathologic features and surgical outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the primary GBC patients resected with curative intent, 14 had adenosquamous carcinoma (10) or squamous cell carcinoma (4) (group A), whereas 122 had adenocarcinoma (group B). Abdominal pain was the most common symptom in both groups; however, presentation with vomiting and an abdominal lump was more common in group A (P = .04 and <.01, respectively). Group A had a significantly larger tumor size (7.9 vs 4.8 cm, P = .01) and a higher incidence of adjacent organ involvement requiring extended resections (85.7% vs 26.2%, P < .01). Despite the higher T stage, node-negative disease was significantly higher in group A (42.9% vs 17.2%, P = .03). There was no significant difference in the median survival after curative resection between the 2 groups (28 vs 31 months, P = .24).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The squamous variant of GBC presented at an advanced T stage; however, nodal involvement and distant metastasis were less common. Despite the higher T stage, curative resection could be achieved in the majority with a comparable survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, GB Pant Hospital and MAM College, Delhi University, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Raja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kalayarasan
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Javed
authors.forename: Puja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sakhuja
authors.forename: Anil K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Agarwal
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018196:Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015996:Survival Rate
keywords: Adenocarcinoma gallbladder cancer; Adenosquamous gallbladder cancer; Gallbladder cancer; Squamous gallbladder cancer