Symptoms of gallbladder cancer

Early gallbladder cancer does not usually cause symptoms. It is often found when someone has surgery to remove gallstones. But most people who have surgery for gallstones will not have gallbladder cancer.

Most gallbladder cancers are found at an advanced stage. They can cause different symptoms, including:

• sickness
• high temperatures (fevers)
• weight loss
• pain in the tummy (abdomen).

If the cancer blocks the bile duct, it may stop the flow of bile from the gall bladder into the small bowel. This causes bile to flow back into the blood and body tissues. This can cause:

• yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)
• your pee (urine) to become a dark yellow colour
• pale poo (stools)
• itchy skin.

These symptoms may be caused by other problems. But it is important to get them checked by your GP.

We understand that showing any symptoms of what could be cancer is worrying. The most important thing is to speak to your GP as soon as possible. We're also here if you need someone to talk to. You can:

• Call the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00.
• Chat to our specialists online.