To investigate effective treatment modalities and the related factors influencing prognosis of patients with gallbladder cancer.

The clinical data of 76 gallbladder carcinoma patients admitted to the Department of General Surgery, PLA Nanjing General Hospital from January 2005 to October 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. Follow-up was carried out via telephone or outpatient service until January 2016. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier models were performed for survival analysis.

69 patients were treated with surgery and/or postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The remaining 7 patients with liver or distant metastases who did not undergo surgery received chemotherapy. 24 patients died from cancer relapse, 37 patients died from disease progression after giving up treatment, and 7 patients were lost to follow-up. The remaining 8 patients were still alive at the time of follow-up. The depth of cancer invasion (HR=2.736), the type surgical procedure (HR=2.207), and adjuvant chemotherapy (HR=0.603) were significant impact factors of survival for GBC patients. Adjuvant chemotherapy was a protective factor. The average survival in the chemotherapy-naive group was (10.6±1.9) months, the single chemotherapy group (18.5±2.8) months, and the combined chemotherapy group (26.9±6.4) months. There were no significant differences among these groups.

The depth of cancer invasion, types of surgical procedure particularly radical cholecystectomy, and adjuvant chemotherapy were significant factors of survival in patients with GBC. Radical cholecystectomy combined with arterial and intravenous chemotherapy using gemcitabine and oxaliplatin showed benefits in survival in GBC patients.

Gallbladder cancer; Surgery treatment; Chemotherapy; Prognostic factors