Gallbladder cancer

Abstract

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most common cancer of the biliary tract, characterized by a very poor prognosis when diagnosed at advanced stages owing to its aggressive behaviour and limited therapeutic options. Early detection at a curable stage remains challenging because patients rarely exhibit symptoms; indeed, most GBCs are discovered incidentally following cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallbladder stones. Long-standing chronic inflammation is an important driver of GBC, regardless of the lithiasic or non-lithiasic origin. Advances in omics technologies have provided a deeper understanding of GBC pathogenesis, uncovering mechanisms associated with inflammation-driven tumour initiation and progression. Surgical resection is the only treatment with curative intent for GBC but very few cases are suitable for resection and most adjuvant therapy has a very low response rate. Several unmet clinical needs require to be addressed to improve GBC management, including discovery and validation of reliable biomarkers for screening, therapy selection and prognosis. Standardization of preneoplastic and neoplastic lesion nomenclature, as well as surgical specimen processing and sampling, now provides reproducible and comparable research data that provide a basis for identifying and implementing early detection strategies and improving drug discovery. Advances in the understanding of next-generation sequencing, multidisciplinary care for GBC, neoadjuvant and adjuvant strategies, and novel systemic therapies including chemotherapy and immunotherapies are gradually changing the treatment paradigm and prognosis of this recalcitrant cancer. Gallbladder cancer is the most common cancer of the biliary tract and often has a very poor prognosis. This Primer by Roa and colleagues summarizes the epidemiology, mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment of gallbladder cancer, and discusses patient quality of life and open research questions for this disease.