Treatment

Surgery is the preferred treatment for gallbladder and bile duct cancer, and offers the best chance for a cure. Additional treatments are available for patients who are not eligible for surgery. 

Gallbladder Surgery
Cholecystectomy — a procedure that involves surgical removal of the gallbladder, regional lymph nodes, and some of the tissues surrounding the organ — is the most effective treatment for localized gallbladder tumors. Part of the liver also may be removed if doctors suspect the tumor has spread (metastasized). A laparoscope is sometimes used to guide liver surgery, but not to remove the gallbladder, as the laparoscope can spread cancer cells to nearby tissue.

Bile Duct Surgery
As with gallbladder cancer, surgery to remove the bile duct and regional lymph nodes using traditional, open techniques is the most effective treatment for localized tumors. Minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopy) is not generally used for bile duct surgery.

Additional surgery may be required if the cancer has spread to the liver or other organs and tissues.

Partial Hepatectomy
This procedure involves removing a wedge of liver tissue, an entire lobe, or a larger part of the liver, plus a safety margin (extra portion) of normal tissue surrounding the diseased part of the liver. 

The Whipple Procedure
This procedure (also known as a pancreatoduodenectomy) involves removing the gallbladder, part of the stomach, part of the small intestine, the bile duct, and the head (right-most section) of the pancreas, which allows for the production of insulin and digestive enzymes.