Diagnosing

Screening for gallbladder cancer

There is no national screening programme for gallbladder cancer in the UK. This is because there isn’t a test that can pick up gallbladder cancer at an early stage.

What is cancer screening?

Screening means testing people for early stages of a disease. This is before they have any symptoms. For screening to be useful the tests:

need to be reliable at picking up cancers
overall must do more good than harm to people taking part
must be something that people are willing to do

Screening tests are not perfect and have some risks. The screening programme should also be good value for money for the NHS.

Why isn’t there a screening programme for gallbladder cancer in the UK?

There is no screening programme for gallbladder cancer in the UK because:

doctors wouldn't find many cancers because it's so rare
there is no suitable test to use for gallbladder cancer screening
current tests have risks that outweigh the benefits for most people
the cost of screening would be high

With rare cancers, it is more cost effective to screen people who are thought to be at a higher risk. Talk to your GP if you think you are at a higher than average risk of gallbladder cancer. If your doctor agrees that you are at a higher risk, they may be able to give you regular check ups.

Screening for people with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare disease that causes inflammation of the bile ducts. People with PSC have an increased risk of developing gallbladder cancer.

You have regular check ups if you are diagnosed with PSC. You might have scans and blood tests regularly to check for signs of gallbladder cancer.

Last reviewed: 13 Sept 2023

Next review due: 13 Sept 2026

Symptoms of gallbladder cancer

The symptoms of gallbladder cancer include tummy pain, feeling sick, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice) or an enlarged gallbladder.

Diagnosing gallbladder cancer

You usually start by seeing your GP. They might refer you for tests or to a specialist if you have symptoms that could be caused by gallbladder cancer.

Risks and causes of gallbladder cancer

Factors that increase the risk of developing gallbladder cancer include age, gallstones, gallbladder polyps and being overweight. Read about these and other risk factors.

What is gallbladder cancer?

Gallbladder cancer is when abnormal cells in the gallbladder start to divide and grow in an uncontrolled way.

Gallbladder cancer main page

Gallbladder cancer is a cancer that begins in the gallbladder, which is part of the biliary system. It is quite rare in the UK and more common in women than in men.