Finding a "polyp" in the gallbladder during an abdominal ultrasound can be alarming. Many people immediately associate the word with a tumour and wonder whether the gallbladder needs to be removed. However, a gallbladder polyp is not the same as gallbladder cancer, and not every polyp requires surgery.
Gallbladder polyps are growths that project from the inner lining of the gallbladder into its cavity. Most cause no symptoms and are discovered incidentally during a health check or an ultrasound performed for another abdominal problem.
Some are cholesterol polyps, which are relatively common and generally carry a low risk of malignancy. As there are different types of gallbladder polyps, however, doctors look at more than simply whether a polyp is present. Its size, appearance, rate of growth and the patient's individual risk factors are also important.
Depending on the findings, a doctor may recommend regular ultrasound monitoring or consider further management. If persistent right upper abdominal pain, fever or jaundice is also present, other conditions such as gallstones, cholecystitis or bile duct disease may need to be considered.
In short, finding a gallbladder polyp does not mean cancer, but neither should it simply be ignored.
