Gallbladder cancer in females can cause symptoms such as jaundice, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite. Symptoms may not appear until the cancer advances.
While gallbladder cancer is more common in females, the symptoms are generally the same in males and females.
Gallbladder cancer may not cause symptoms in the beginning. It’s important to contact a doctor as soon as you do experience new or worsening symptoms.
Read on to learn about the symptoms of gallbladder cancer in females, when to contact a doctor, and more.
In this article, we use “male” and “female” to refer to someone’s sex as determined by their chromosomes, and “men” and “women” when referring to their gender.
Sex is determined by chromosomes, and gender is a social construct that can vary between time periods and cultures. Both of these aspects are acknowledged to exist on a spectrum both historically and by modern scientific consensus.
Symptoms of gallbladder cancer are generally the same in females and in males.
However, gallbladder cancer is
Other risk factors for gallbladder cancer, such as gallstones and gallbladder inflammation, are also more common in females.
Gallbladder cancer does not usually cause symptoms in the early stage.
Your doctor may find gallbladder cancer by chance in the early stage when checking for or treating another condition. For example, they may identify gallbladder cancer if you have gallstones removed.
Symptoms of gallbladder cancer typically only develop as the condition advances. When symptoms do occur, you may experience:
- abdominal pain
- nausea
- jaundice, which can cause:
- yellowing of the skin and eyes
- itchiness
- dark urine
- pale colored stools
- unexplained weight loss
- loss of appetite
You may also have an enlarged gallbladder, which your doctor may notice during a physical examination or on an ultrasound.
Symptoms of gallbladder cancer are generally nonspecific. This means various conditions can cause similar symptoms.
Some possible differential diagnoses, or conditions that may be causing your symptoms,
- biliary disease, which refers to conditions affecting the gallbladder or bile ducts
- biliary colic
- biliary obstruction
- bile duct strictures (narrowing of the bile duct)
- cholangitis
- cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation)
If you have any symptoms of gallbladder cancer, your doctor will order tests such as blood tests and imaging tests to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other possible causes.
Gallbladder cancer is around three to four times more common in females than in males, reports the
The American Cancer Society predicts that around 6,570 women will receive a diagnosis of cancer of the gallbladder or nearby large bile ducts in 2025. Around 4 in 10 of these cases will be gallbladder cancer.
It’s important to contact a doctor as soon as you have concerns about gallbladder cancer.
Because symptoms typically do not develop in the early stages, receiving an accurate diagnosis and beginning suitable treatment as early as possible is essential.
Gallbladder cancer symptoms are usually the same in females and males. The condition does not typically cause symptoms in the early stage.
As the cancer develops, you may experience symptoms like abdominal pain, jaundice, unexplained weight loss, and a loss of appetite.
Contact your doctor as soon as you experience symptoms of gallbladder cancer. Your doctor can order tests to confirm the diagnosis or rule out other possible causes.