[Primary carcinoma of the gallbladder: report of 41 cases (author's transl)].

The Authors described their experience in 41 patients operated on because of gallbladder cancer. The overall mortality was 20%. Four cases suitables for a "radical" wide resection showed an average survival of 8 months, while 2 on 3 patients with in "situ" carcinoma treated by simple cholecystectomy are still alive at more than 3 years, the other dying after five years because of disease not related to the gallbladder cancer. The bad general prognosis of the disease is mainly related to the delayed diagnosis together with the anatomical relations of the gallbladder as demonstrated by the discouraging survival in the "radically" widely resected patients. It must be considered consequently categorical to realize an early cholecystectomy, the only possible preventive procedure, in the height risk patients.