Treatment of Unresectable, Metastatic, or Recurrent Gallbladder Cancer

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Treatment of unresectable, metastatic, or recurrent gallbladder cancer is usually within a clinical trial. Treatment may include:

• Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage or the placement of stents to relieve symptoms caused by blocked bile ducts. This may be followed by radiation therapy as palliative treatment.
• Surgery as palliative treatment to relieve symptoms caused by blocked bile ducts.
• Chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial of new ways to give palliative radiation therapy, such as giving it together with hyperthermia therapy, radiosensitizers, or chemotherapy.
• A clinical trial of targeted therapy or immunotherapy for patients with mutations (changes) in certain genes.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.