A review of association of dietary factors in gallbladder cancer

Abstract

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the prominent malignancy of hepato-biliary tract, being the fifth most common carcinoma for gastrointestinal tract in United States. Epidemiological studies world wide have implicated dietary factors in the development of gallbladder cancer. The ecological evidences indicate considerable geographic variation in the incidence of gallbladder cancer. However the variations in GBC incidence of different populations might be partly determined by their dietary variations. Higher intake of energy and carbohydrate possibly increase the risk of gallbladder cancer. Obesity plays an important role in the causation of GBC. Adequate intake of fruits and vegetables probably reduce the risk of GBC. This nutritional preventive effect against GBC could be attributed to high content of vitamins, carotenes and fibers. They can not be too emphatically stated as the sole determinants of GBC. It is apparently clear that a variety of essential nutrients can significantly modify the carcinogenic process. Furthermore, an attempt has been made to establish an association between dietary factors and the occurrence of gallbladder cancer.