Pathological classification of gallbladder cancer

The prognosis of gallbladder cancer is related to its classification, especially its pathological classification. The following introduces the pathological morphological classification and pathological histological classification of gallbladder cancer.

1. Pathological classification of gallbladder cancer

The pathological morphology of gallbladder cancer can be divided into three types: ① Infiltrative type: the most common, accounting for about 75% to 80%, and is often seen in the gallbladder neck wall in the early stage. The mass grows in an infiltrative manner, the gallbladder wall is widely thickened and hardened, the gallbladder shrinks due to cancerous contraction, and it is easy to invade adjacent organs. In the late stage, it is a solid tumor, leathery, and the cut surface is grayish white, with a poor prognosis. ② Mass type: accounting for about 15%, the cancer lesion grows into the gallbladder cavity in a mass-like manner, located in the gallbladder neck or cystic duct, which can block the gallbladder outlet, causing gallbladder enlargement and acute cholecystitis. This type develops to a certain extent, which can cause local tissue necrosis and shedding, leading to bleeding and infection, and the prognosis is relatively good. ③ Colloid type: accounting for about 5% to 8%, the tumor tissue contains a large amount of mucus and presents a jelly-like change, and the gallbladder wall is often infiltrated.

2. Histopathological classification of gallbladder cancer

The pathological histological classification of gallbladder cancer can be divided into five types: ① Adenocarcinoma: the most common, accounting for about 87%. The pathological types of adenocarcinoma can be divided into sclerosing adenocarcinoma, papillary adenocarcinoma, tubular adenocarcinoma, mucinous adenocarcinoma, etc. ② Undifferentiated carcinoma: accounting for about 10%, with a high degree of malignancy and poor prognosis. The pathological types of undifferentiated carcinoma can be divided into four types: anaplastic, pleomorphic, spindle and sarcomatoid. ③ Adenosquamous carcinoma: accounting for about 3%, the pathological feature is that adenocarcinoma tissue contains a large number of squamous cells. ④ Squamous cell carcinoma: accounting for about 2% to 3%, according to the degree of differentiation of squamous epithelium, it can be divided into adenoacanthoma and adenosquamous carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma is mostly invasive, often invading the entire gallbladder wall, and is a solid cancer. ⑤ Other rare types include carcinoid, sarcoma, carcinosarcoma, melanoma, clear cell carcinoma, etc.