6 symptoms of gallbladder cancer, including:
Loss of appetite: When the gallbladder is damaged by cancer, the process of secreting bile to support digestion is difficult, leading to loss of appetite. Loss of appetite is often a symptom of many diseases, so it is difficult to recognize this symptom as a sign to diagnose gallbladder cancer.
Jaundice: Bilirubin is a yellow pigment produced during the process of red blood cells secreting in bile. When you have gallbladder cancer, your gallbladder secretes a lot of bilirubin into your blood, causing your skin and the whites of your eyes to turn yellow. This buildup of bilirubin can also cause severe itching that doesn't go away. Too much bilirubin can also lead to light-colored or gray stools.
A mass in the abdomen: Gallbladder cancer causes the gallbladder to enlarge due to a blockage in the bile duct. A gallbladder that gradually becomes larger and harder like a tumor can be a sign of gallbladder cancer. The spread of gallbladder cancer to the liver can also cause bloating, a feeling of a mass in the upper right abdomen.
Symptoms of gallbladder cancer are silent and difficult to detect in the early stages, so knowing the risk factors can help people detect the disease more easily. Risk factors may include: Gallstones, 70% of people with gallbladder cancer have gallstones at the time of diagnosis; obesity; history of sclerosing cholangitis or porcelain gallbladder.