Management of incidental gallbladder cancer in a nationwide CAPBIL study.
McClements, Jane Lee, Wan Teng Koh, Amanda Sellappan, Harivinthan Blackburn, Lauren Brooks, Adam Nixon, Gemma Merali, Nabeel Frampton, Adam Safavi, Danial
McClements, Jane
Lee, Wan Teng
Koh, Amanda
Sellappan, Harivinthan
Blackburn, Lauren
Brooks, Adam
Nixon, Gemma
Merali, Nabeel
Frampton, Adam
Safavi, Danial
Abstract
Introduction: To provide contemporary, real-world data on the management approaches and survival outcomes of patients with incidental gallbladder cancer (GBC) following cholecystectomy in the United Kingdom. The secondary aim was to identify prognostic factors associated with survival.
Methods: Patients diagnosed with incidental GBC following cholecystectomy between January 2014 and December 2022 across 24 centres were included. Data collected comprised demographics, treatment details, histopathological findings and survival outcomes.
Results: During the study period, 285 patients had incidental GBC. Median follow-up was 31 months, with 5-year disease-free (DFS) and overall (OS) survival of 41.5% and 45.1%, respectively. Of the 193 (67.7%) patients who underwent liver resection, most (97.9%) underwent segment 4B/5 resection. Patients with incidental GBC who underwent liver resection had significantly improved DFS (51 vs 15 months, p<0.001) and OS (72 vs 26 months, p<0.001) compared with those who did not. In addition, patients who completed adjuvant chemotherapy had better DFS (35 vs 15 months, p=0.021) and OS (47 vs 26 months, p=0.009) compared to those who did not. On multivariable analysis, nodal metastases were independently associated with poorer DFS (HR 2.04, 95% CI 1.30-3.20, p=0.002), while advanced tumour (T3-T4) stage (HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.04-2.77, p=0.034) and nodal metastases (HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.33-3.48, p=0.002) predicted poorer OS.
Conclusion: Patients who underwent liver resection after incidental GBC had significantly better survival than those who did not proceed to further surgery. Adverse tumour biology was associated with poorer survival.
MIDER Authors
Date
2026-04-21
Type
Article
Subject
Gallbladder, Chemotherapy, Cholecystectomy
Citation
McClements J, Lee WT, Koh A, Sellappan H, Blackburn L, Brooks A, Nixon G, Merali N, Frampton A, Safavi D, Davidson B, Feretis M, Dasari BVM, Chin SL, Karavias D, Rowcroft A, Lucocq J, Harrison EM, Morrison-Jones V, Welsh F, Pathanki A, Marangoni G, Bruno P, Skipworth J, Colucci N, Kosmoliaptsis V, O'Leary L, Malik H, Hamadalnile A, Menon K, Patel W, Bekheit M, Tanno L, Silva M, Brown C, Kumar N, Triance J, Shah N, Alsaoudi T, Bhardwaj N, Nassar H, Mownah O, Yeung KTD, Bhogal R, Blanco-Colino R, Farid S, Aljaberi R, Pandanaboyana S, Abdelmohsin O, Aroori S, Evans D, Athwal T, Lodge JPA, Gomez D. Management of incidental gallbladder cancer in a nationwide CAPBIL study. Br J Surg. 2026 Apr 21:znag050. doi: 10.1093/bjs/znag050.
Journal / Source Title
The British Journal of Surgery
DOI
10.1093/bjs/znag050
PMID
42013358
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Publisher’s URL
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42013358/