Print Overview Gallbladder cancer Enlarge image Close Gallbladder cancer Gallbladder cancer Gallbladder cancer begins in the cells of the gallbladder. Your gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of your abdomen, just beneath your liver. Gallbladder cancer is an abnormal growth of cells that begins in the gallbladder. Your gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of your abdomen, just beneath your liver. The gallbladder stores bile, a digestive fluid produced by your liver. Gallbladder cancer is uncommon. When gallbladder cancer is discovered at its earliest stages, the chance for a cure is very good. But most gallbladder cancers are discovered at a late stage, when the prognosis is often very poor. Gallbladder cancer may not be discovered until it's advanced because it often causes no specific signs or symptoms. Also, the relatively hidden nature of the gallbladder makes it easier for gallbladder cancer to grow without being detected.Products & ServicesA Book: Mayo Clinic on Digestive HealthAssortment of Pill Aids from Mayo Clinic StoreShow more products from Mayo Clinic SymptomsGallbladder cancer signs and symptoms may include: Abdominal pain, particularly in the upper right portion of the abdomen Abdominal bloating Losing weight without trying Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice) When to see a doctorMake an appointment with your doctor if you experience any signs or symptoms that worry you. Request an appointment There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get Mayo Clinic cancer expertise delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for free and receive an in-depth guide to coping with cancer, plus helpful information on how to get a second opinion. You can unsubscribe at any time. 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Thank you for subscribing Your in-depth coping with cancer guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest about cancer news, research, and care. If you don’t receive our email within 5 minutes, check your SPAM folder, then contact us at newsletters@mayoclinic.com. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry Causes Gallbladder and bile duct Enlarge image Close Gallbladder and bile duct Gallbladder and bile duct The gallbladder stores bile, a yellow-green fluid produced in the liver. Bile flows from your liver into your gallbladder, where it's held until needed during the digestion of food. When you eat, your gallbladder releases bile into the bile duct, where it's carried to the upper part of the small intestine, called the duodenum, to help break down fat in food. It's not clear what causes gallbladder cancer. Doctors know that gallbladder cancer forms when healthy gallbladder cells develop changes (mutations) in their DNA. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell a cell what to do. The changes tell the cells to grow out of control and to continue living when other cells would normally die. The accumulating cells form a tumor that can grow beyond the gallbladder and spread to other areas of the body. Most gallbladder cancer begins in the glandular cells that line the inner surface of the gallbladder. Gallbladder cancer that begins in this type of cell is called adenocarcinoma. This term refers to the way the cancer cells appear when examined under a microscope. Risk factorsFactors that can increase the risk of gallbladder cancer include: Your sex. Gallbladder cancer is more common in women. Your age. Your risk of gallbladder cancer increases as you age. A history of gallstones. Gallbladder cancer is most common in people who have gallstones or have had gallstones in the past. Larger gallstones may carry a larger risk. Still, gallstones are very common and even in people with this condition, gallbladder cancer is very rare. Other gallbladder diseases and conditions. Other gallbladder conditions that can increase the risk of gallbladder cancer include polyps, chronic inflammation and infection. Inflammation of the bile ducts. Primary sclerosing cholangitis, which causes inflammation of the ducts that drain bile from the gallbladder and liver, increases the risk of gallbladder cancer. By Mayo Clinic Staff Gallbladder cancer care at Mayo Clinic Request an appointment Diagnosis & treatment July 08, 2022 Print Living with gallbladder cancer? Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Proton Beam Therapy support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, a patient community. Proton Beam Therapy Discussions SBRT vs. Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy 52 Replies Tue, Nov 28, 2023 chevron-right Proton therapy for breast cancer: What side effects did you have? 9 Replies Tue, Oct 31, 2023 chevron-right Meeting up with others who are having Proton Treatment 43 Replies Mon, Oct 30, 2023 chevron-right See more discussions Show references Niederhuber JE, et al., eds. Liver and bile duct cancer. In: Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Aug. 5, 2020. Feldman M, et al., eds. Tumors of the bile ducts, gallbladder and ampulla. In: Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 11th ed. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Aug. 5, 2020. Hepatobiliary cancer. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/default.aspx. Accessed Aug. 5, 2020. Warner KJ. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. June 4, 2020. Related Gallbladder cancer Gallbladder polyps: Can they be cancerous? Associated Procedures Chemotherapy Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) CT scan MRI Radiation therapy Show more associated procedures Products & Services A Book: Mayo Clinic on Digestive Health Assortment of Pill Aids from Mayo Clinic Store Show more products and services from Mayo Clinic Gallbladder cancerSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsCare atMayoClinic Advertisement Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Advertising & Sponsorship Policy Opportunities Ad Choices Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. 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There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get Mayo Clinic cancer expertise delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for free and receive an in-depth guide to coping with cancer, plus helpful information on how to get a second opinion. You can unsubscribe at any time. Click here for an email preview. I would like to learn more about Up-to-date cancer news & research Mayo Clinic cancer care & management options ErrorSelect a topic Email address ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Subscribe Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Thank you for subscribing Your in-depth coping with cancer guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest about cancer news, research, and care. If you don’t receive our email within 5 minutes, check your SPAM folder, then contact us at newsletters@mayoclinic.com. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry