Unresectable Gallbladder Cancer Successfully Treated with Gemcitabine Chemotherapy

We report a case of unresectable gallbladder cancer successfully treated with gemcitabine (GEM). A 77-year-old man was admitted to our hospital in April 2010 with jaundice. He was diagnosed as having gallbladder cancer that had invaded the liver and hepatic artery, along with lymph node metastasis. The tumor was considered unresectable, and he received chemotherapy with GEM. Each course of treatment consisted of 1,000 mg/m2 GEM administered once a week for 3 weeks followed by a week of no treatment. After the 3rd course, computed tomography revealed reduction in liver invasion and disappearance of lymph node metastasis. After the 18th course, the tumor had completely disappeared, and the patient achieved a complete response. GEM monotherapy was continued for 5 years, even though the tumor had disappeared. The patient is alive and has been disease-free for more than 5 years.