Gallbladder cancer is the most common type of malignancy of the bile tract.
A malignancy is a harmful, uncontrolled growth of cells. It occurs slightly more in women than in men and in people over the age of 60. The gallbladder, which is linked by small ducts to the liver and small intestine, acts as a storehouse for bile, the substance needed to digest fats. After you eat a meal your gallbladder empties bile into the intestine to help you digest your food, especially fats. A tumor in the gallbladder blocks the flow of bile, which then leads to many of the symptoms of gallbladder cancer.