Gallbladder Cancer Staging

The following stages are used for gallbladder cancer:

Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ)

In stage 0, abnormal cells are found in the innermost (mucosal) layer of the gallbladder. These abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue. Stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ.

Stage I

In stage I, cancer has formed. 

• Cancer has spread beyond the innermost (mucosal) layer to the connective tissue or to the muscle (muscularis) layer.

Stage II

Tumor invades perimuscular connective tissue; no extension beyond the serosa or into the liver.  

Stage III

Stage III is divided into Stage IIIA and stage IIIB.

• Stage IIIA: tumor invades through the visceral peritoneum (tissue that covers the gallbladder) and/or directly invades the liver and/or one other adjacent organ or structure, such as the stomach, duodenum, colon, pancreas, omentum or extrahepatic bile ducts.

• Stage IIIB: tumor invades all of the above (Stage groups I, II or III) and has spread to nearby lymph nodes

Stage IV

In stage IV, cancer has spread to periaortic, pericaval, superior mesenteric artery, and/or celiac artery lymph nodes and/or organs far away from the gallbladder.