Gallbladder Cancer Risk Factors

Who's at Risk for Gallbladder Cancer

Although researchers have not yet found the exact causes of gallbladder cancer, they have identified several risk factors for the disease. A risk factor is something that increases the chances of developing a disease.

Risk Factors for Gallbladder Cancer

Risk factors for gallbladder cancer include:

Having gallstones. Having gallstones is the greatest and most common risk factor for gallbladder cancer. Please note that all people with gallstones do not develop gallbladder cancer.

Age. People over 70 are more likely to develop gallbladder cancer. The risk increases as people get older.

Smoking. Gallbladder cancer is just one cancer that is linked to smoking cigarettes. The carcinogens in cigarettes are responsible for many types of cancer.

Obesity. Being obese is a risk factor for gallbladder cancer. The World Health Organization attributes being overweight to 25% of gallbladder cancer cases.

Ethnicity. Studies show that Native Americans, Alaskan natives, and Hispanics are at an increased risk factor for gallbladder cancer.

Gender. Women are twice as likely to develop gallbladder cancer than men.

[g]Gallbladder polyps. Polyps are growths that occur on the surface of the gallbladder. While smaller gallbladder polyps are usually benign, the larger ones tend to be malignant.



_{Source:
The Mayo Clinic. Gallbladder Cancer; July 26, 2005}