[Carcinoma as an unexpected histologic diagnosis in gallbladder disease (author's transl)].

In 32 of 120 patients with carcinoma of the gallbladder the disease was not diagnosed before microscopic examination. These 32 patients were afterwards examined in respect of those factors possibly capable of influencing the prognosis. The diagnosis proved successful in 11 patients in whom the tumour was confined to the mucosa und the submucosa. 3nly 4 of these patients died from a recurrence. From 21 patients with all the layers of the wall of the gallbladder, being involved none survived the operation for more than 2 1/2 years. In cases of carcinoma confined to the mucosa and submucosa surgical treatment should include not only cholecystectomy, but also wedge resection of the liver with a free margin of tissue and adequate nodal dissection as well.