Health 2026-01-23 10:41:27

6 silent symptoms warning of gallbladder cancer

6 silent symptoms warning of gallbladder c.a.ncer

Abdominal pain, loss of appetite, vomiting, weight loss... can be warning signs of gallbladder cancer.

The gallbladder is located under the right liver, storing the amount of bile needed to digest fat. Gallbladder cancer is rarer than other types of cancer. This type of cancer often has no symptoms in the early stages. Most of the symptoms are obvious when the tumor is in an advanced stage or has metastasized to nearby organs. About 10% of gallbladder cancer cases are detected at an early stage and are discovered by chance. The reason is that the symptoms of gallbladder cancer are silent, similar to other diseases and there is currently no screening test for gallbladder cancer, according to Very Well Health (USA).

6 symptoms of gallbladder cancer, including:

Abdominal pain: About 50% of people with gallbladder cancer have abdominal pain. This abdominal pain is often most evident in the upper right abdomen.

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.

Weight loss: Unexplained or unintentional weight loss can be the first symptom of gallbladder cancer. A study showed that 40% of people newly diagnosed with gallbladder cancer had unintentional weight loss. However, lung cancer, stomach cancer, and rectal cancer also lead to unintentional weight loss. Therefore, this sign is easily confused and overlooked.

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.

Vomiting: Vomiting and general nausea are common symptoms of gallbladder cancer.

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.