Frequency and characteristics of gallbladder cancer at a referral hospital in southern Peru, 2009-2014: a descriptive study.

BACKGROUND

Gallbladder cancer is a rare neoplasm, its frequency is variable in the regions of Peru.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency and describe the clinical characteristics of gallbladder cancer in southern Peru.

METHODS

The reports of the anatomopathological department of the Honorio Delgado Regional Hospital were selected from all samples of cholecystectomies performed between 2009 and 2014 and those that had some result compatible with gallbladder cancer were looked for. Subsequently, the clinical histories were searched to obtain the characteristics of these patients.

RESULTS

Of 2991 cholecystectomies, 75 (2.5%) had gall bladder cancer. The most frequent symptom in both groups was pain (96.7%), followed by nausea (87.5%) and vomiting (65.0%). The majority of patients were women (83.3%) older than 60 years (65.0%). The most frequent histological type was the adenocarcinoma (80.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

The frequency of gallbladder cancer in a reference hospital in southern Peru is 2.51%, higher than that reported in other studies in the central and northern regions of Peru.