Some of the factors that increase the risk of the occurrence of gallbladder cancer include:
Sex – cancer of the gallbladder affects about three times more women than men.
Age – most victims of gallbladder cancer are aged over 60 years; the disease occurs mainly after age 70.
Race – higher rates of gallbladder cancer in the U.S. are found among Native American and Hispanic, especially Mexicans.
Obesity – being obese increases your risk for developing many types of cancer, including gallbladder cancer.
Inflammation of the gallbladder – primary gallbladder adenocarcinomas are sometimes linked to chronic inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis).
Porcelain gallbladder – also called calcification of the gallbladder, porcelain gallbladder account for 10-25% incidence of gallbladder cancer.
Certain professions – all professions that regularly expose you to caoutchouc and toxic chemicals increase your chance of becoming a gallbladder cancer victim.
Taking certain medications – certain drugs used in the treatment of high cholesterol such as the fibrates are suspected in the development of gallbladder cancer.
Other suspected risk factors include:
- estrogens
- Crohn ileocolitis
- ulcerative colitis
- typhoid fever,
- gallbladder polyps
- anomalous pancreatobiliary duct junction