Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month: Signs and symptoms to know

February is observed as Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month. Although rare, these cancers affect thousands of people and their families around the world each year.

Image for representational purpose only (File Photo)

February is observed as Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month. Although rare, these cancers affect thousands of people and their families around the world each year. Learn about the signs and symptoms, and the steps you can take to help reduce your risk and live a healthier life

What makes you prone

• Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
• Smoking
• Unhealthy diet
• Older. The average age of diagnosis is 72
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Viral hepatitis
• Drinking a lot of alcohol

Treatment
Surgery is the main treatment for gallbladder and bile duct cancers. But unfortunately, by the time it is diagnosed in two-thirds of the cases, it is inoperable. When the patient is not fit for the surgery, chemotherapy or rarely radiation therapy is used

Signs and symptoms

Yellowing of skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)

• Intensely itchy skin
• White-colored stools
• Fatigue
• Abdominal pain on the right side, just below the ribs
• Losing weight without trying
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Dark urine

Keep the cancers at bay

• Get to and stay at a healthy weight
• Be physically active and limit the time you spend sitting or lying down
• Follow a healthy eating pattern that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit or avoid red and processed meats, sugary drinks, and highly processed foods
• It’s best not to drink alcohol. If you do drink, have no more than one drink a day for women or two for men
• Get vaccinated against the hepatitis B virus (HBV) to prevent infection and cirrhosis
• Take precautions to avoid blood-borne or sexually transmitted infections like HBV and other viruses (like hepatitis C virus) to prevent cirrhosis
• Do not smoke
• Avoid exposure to radon or other radioactive chemicals

Foods for a healthy gallbladder

• Bell peppers
• Citrus fruits
• Dark, leafy greens
• Tomatoes
• Milk
• Sardines
• Fish and shellfish
• Low-fat dairy
• Beans
• Nuts l Lentils
• Tofu
• Tempeh

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet full of fruits and vegetables is the best way to improve and protect your gallbladder’s health. Fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients and fiber; the latter is key to a healthy gallbladder

(Dr K Sreekanth, senior consultant surgical oncologist, Yashoda Hospitals)