Preoperative inflammation is a prognostic factor for gallbladder carcinoma

Background: Inflammation frequently accompanies gallbladder carcinoma (GBC), but its impact on outcome is unclear. The present study investigated the impact of concomitant inflammation on survival of patients with GBC. Methods: All patients undergoing surgery for GBC between October 2003 andMay 2009 were identified retrospectively from a prospectively collected database. Patients were classified according to whether preoperative inflammation was present (65 patients) or not (23). Results: A total of 88 patients were enrolled. There were no differences in sex, mean age, tumour node metastasis (TNM) stage and radicality of resection between the two groups. The overall 3-year survival rate was lower in patients with preoperative inflammation than in those without (33 versus 73 per cent; P = 0 . 001). In univariable analysis, preoperative inflammation, T, N and M category, TNM stage, radicality of surgery and tumour differentiation were significant prognostic factors. The presence of preoperative inflammation (hazard ratio (HR) 2.38, 95 per cent confidence interval 1.04 to 5.43), lymph node metastases (HR 5.23, 1.05 to 26.09) and R1 or R2 resection (HR 3.77, 1.47 to 9.72) were independent prognostic factors for poor survival. Conclusion: The presence of preoperative inflammation is an independent prognostic factor for poor survival in patients with GBC.