Can gallbladder cancer be detected through blood tests?

Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
Updated on September 10, 2024
00:00
00:00

Blood tests generally cannot detect gallbladder cancer because there are no specific markers in the blood tests for gallbladder cancer. Although some tumor markers may be significantly elevated, they are not specific. Therefore, diagnosis of gallbladder cancer can be refined through abdominal CT, color ultrasound, and if necessary, puncture tissue for pathological examination to confirm the nature. Once diagnosed with gallbladder cancer, surgery should be performed as soon as possible because gallbladder cancer is a highly malignant, rapidly developing, and poor prognosis malignancy. It is important to pay attention to it and handle it promptly to improve the prognosis and potentially extend the patient’s life.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
1min 1sec home-news-image

Can gallbladder cancer be detected by cancer embryonic antigen test?

The use of cancer embryo antigen in patients with gallbladder cancer has certain reference value, but it is not absolute. Patients with gallbladder cancer typically show a significant increase in embryonic antigen. Gallbladder cancer is difficult to diagnose early as it generally does not show specific symptoms. Some patients may experience mild discomfort in the upper right abdomen, but this is often overlooked or misdiagnosed as other diseases, such as chronic gastritis. Therefore, once diagnosed with gallbladder cancer, it is usually already at a middle to late stage. Although the cancer embryo antigen in tumor marker tests of gallbladder cancer patients can be elevated, this is not absolute. Therefore, when discomfort in the upper right abdomen occurs, further comprehensive examinations like color ultrasound, CT, and other related tests are necessary to differentiate it.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
46sec home-news-image

Can people with gallbladder cancer eat sea cucumber?

Patients with gallbladder cancer can eat sea cucumber. For patients with gallbladder cancer, there may be a decrease in resistance, especially a tendency for weight loss, and even the development of cachexia and hypoalbuminemia. Therefore, patients should pay attention to their diet and supplement it with foods high in protein to meet the body's needs for albumin and improve the patient's resistance. Furthermore, the diet of patients with gallbladder cancer should also avoid spicy and irritating foods to reduce inflammatory irritation. They should eat more fresh vegetables and fruits to better control the progression of the disease. For gallbladder cancer, treatment should ideally involve early surgical removal to achieve better prognosis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Shen Jiang Chao
Radiology
57sec home-news-image

The main manifestations of gallbladder cancer on MRI

Gallbladder cancer is more common in females and is generally believed to be associated with chronic stimulation from chronic cholecystitis and gallstones. On MRI, gallbladder cancer can be categorized into several types based on case classification and growth patterns: first, the infiltrative type; second, the nodular type; third, the mass-forming type; and fourth, the obstructive type. Regardless of the pathological type of gallbladder cancer, the tumor tissue appears as a heterogeneous low signal on T1 and a heterogeneous high signal on T2. After enhancement, the tumor shows heterogeneous enhancement. If there is invasion into the liver, the boundary with liver tissue is unclear. MRI has significant advantages in assessing invasion of adjacent organs and metastasis, and can provide great value for surgery or treatment planning.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
47sec home-news-image

Can gallbladder cancer be detected through blood tests?

Blood tests generally cannot detect gallbladder cancer because there are no specific markers in the blood tests for gallbladder cancer. Although some tumor markers may be significantly elevated, they are not specific. Therefore, diagnosis of gallbladder cancer can be refined through abdominal CT, color ultrasound, and if necessary, puncture tissue for pathological examination to confirm the nature. Once diagnosed with gallbladder cancer, surgery should be performed as soon as possible because gallbladder cancer is a highly malignant, rapidly developing, and poor prognosis malignancy. It is important to pay attention to it and handle it promptly to improve the prognosis and potentially extend the patient’s life.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
56sec home-news-image

What's causing the vomiting in gallbladder cancer?

Gallbladder cancer patients, if they experience vomiting, the causes primarily include two aspects. On one hand, vomiting may occur due to obstructive jaundice caused by gallbladder cancer. At this time, the patient may experience abdominal distension and poor digestion, which could lead to nausea and vomiting. For treatment, it is advisable to perform surgery as soon as possible to achieve therapeutic effects and prevention. On the other hand, for gallbladder cancer patients, vomiting should be taken seriously as it could be a sign of metastasis to other parts of the body, such as the gastrointestinal tract or liver. Therefore, for gallbladder cancer patients, it is important to conduct comprehensive examinations to rule out metastasis to other locations. If metastasis occurs, systemic chemotherapy may be necessary to achieve better suppressive effects.