Biliary heavy metal concentrations in carcinoma of the gall bladder: case-control study

Abstract

Carcinoma of the gall bladder is the third most common malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract in the eastern Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar regions of India.1 The two regions lie down stream of the river Ganges, which is the main source of drinking, bathing, and irrigation water in this part of India and receives untreated domestic sewage and industrial and agricultural effluent. High concentrations of cadmium have been reported in sewage, irrigation water, and vegetables grown in the area, and higher concentrations of heavy metals than recommended by the World Health Organisation have been reported in water from this region. Heavy metals as environmental pollutants have been implicated in human carcinogenesis.2 These metals, especially cadmium, are excreted and concentrated in the hepatobiliary system.3 We investigated whether gallbladder cancer was associated with exposure to heavy metals and hence high biliary …