When is tumour removal surgery recommended for gallbladder cancer?

The team reviews scans, biopsy or surgical findings, liver and bile-duct involvement, nearby lymph nodes, and your general health. An operation may involve removing the gallbladder and, when needed, a small area of liver or bile duct and nearby lymph nodes. The planned extent depends on the tumour's position and whether complete removal is technically possible. Surgery can be one part of care; medicines or other treatments may be discussed before or after it.

Ask for a clear explanation of the scan findings and the intended operation. Discuss whether the aim is to remove all visible disease, whether the plan could change during surgery, and how bile flow, digestion, recovery, and daily activities may be affected. Bring a list of medicines and previous operations, and ask how preparation, eating, movement, and wound care will be managed.

Contact your cancer team promptly for new yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, worsening upper-abdominal pain, fever, repeated vomiting, or confusion. After surgery, urgent assessment is needed for severe pain, breathing difficulty, heavy bleeding, a rapidly worsening wound, or inability to keep fluids down.

Which structures would you remove, and why? What findings would make surgery unsuitable or change its extent? Would another treatment be advised before or after the operation? How will you monitor bile flow, liver function, nutrition, and recovery?