RESUMO
An analysis is made of the survival and life quality of 47 patients diagnosed by histopathology as gallbladder cancer, in relation to surgical treatment. The 47 patients, with a mean age of 70 years and a male female ratio of 1:3.7, were classified according to the Nevin stages: there were no stage I patients, 1 stage II, 8 III-IV and 38 V. The operations performed were 20 simple cholecystectomies with excision of a portion of adjacent hepatic tissue; 11 radical cholecystectomies; 10 surgical intubations; 3 percutaneous endoprosthesis; 2 gastroenteroanastomoses and 1 exploratory laparotomy. The results showed: 1) Radical cholecystectomy was the best therapeutic method, providing the longest survival (433 days) with the smallest proportion of days of poor life quality (10%). 2) In patients in stages II, III, IV, simple cholecystectomy with excision of the adjacent liver tissue yielded a survival of more than a year, even in patients of advanced age (greater than 80 years). 3) Although percutaneous and surgical intubation achieved a similar survival, the first technique produced a better quality of life. 4) In view of the diversity of the surgical techniques practiced in patients in stage V, a revaluation of this stage is necessary to individualize treatment.
