[Primary carcinoma of the gallbladder].

Primary carcinoma of the gallbladder is still a controversial issue. The paper reports a series of 25 patients affected by carcinoma of the gallbladder, observed from May 1975 to October 1989. Patients presented symptoms which in most cases were similar to those of cholelithiasis. Instrumental tests enabled a preoperative diagnosis to be made in only 8 cases (32%). In the remaining 17 cases (68%), diagnosis was only possible during the operation following the histological examination of the affected part. Mean survival was 7.3 months. These findings are in line with those reported in the literature, from which it is clear that carcinoma of the gallbladder, even when identified using instrumental tests, cannot be treated by radical surgery except in a very small percentage of cases.