Endoscopic diagnosis and management of gallbladder carcinoma in minimally invasive era: New needs, new models

Abstract

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a rare and lethal malignancy; however, it represents the most common type of biliary tract cancer. Patients with GBC are often diagnosed at an advanced stage, thus, unfortunately, losing the opportunity for curative surgical intervention. This situation leads to lower quality of life and higher mortality rates. In recent years, the rapid development of endoscopic equipment and techniques has provided new avenues and possibilities for the early and minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment of GBC. This editorial comments on the article by Pavlidis et al. Building upon their work, we explore the new needs and corresponding models for managing GBC from the endoscopic diagnosis and treatment perspective.

Keywords: Endoscopy; Diagnosis and treatment; Gallbladder carcinoma; Minimal invasive; New need; New model

Core Tip: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) poses a significant challenge due to its low rates of early diagnosis and high mortality. The evolving endoscopic technologies in the minimally invasive era present new possibilities for the early diagnosis and treatment of GBC, making them highly research-worthy and promising for application. The promotion and application of advanced endoscopic equipment and techniques, such as endoscopic ultrasound, magnifying endoscopy, choledochoscopy, confocal laser endomicroscopy, and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery technology, are expected to offer new management models for the global demand in GBC diagnosis and treatment.