Clinicopathological and Radiological Profile of Gallbladder Carcinoma: A Cross-Sectional Study From a Tertiary Care Center in Tripura, India

Background Gallbladder carcinoma is an aggressive malignancy with marked geographic variation in incidence within India, particularly affecting the northern and northeastern regions. Given the limited evidence from Tripura, this study aimed to describe the clinicopathological and radiological profile of gallbladder carcinoma patients presenting to a tertiary care center in Tripura, India. Methods A prospective, hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Agartala Government Medical College and Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital (AGMC & GBPH), Agartala, India, from May 2024 to November 2025. All patients with a confirmed diagnosis of gallbladder carcinoma during the study period were eligible. Of 123 diagnosed patients, 104 were included after applying the exclusion criteria. Data were collected using a structured proforma covering sociodemographic characteristics, clinical presentation, laboratory parameters, radiological findings, histopathology, and tumor staging. Staging was performed according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition classification. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (Released 2018; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results The mean age of participants was 61.4 ± 8.8 years, with more than half of the participants (n = 59, 56.7%) aged over 60 years. A marked female predominance was observed (n = 92, 88.5%). Most patients belonged to lower socioeconomic strata (n = 52, 50.0%) and resided in rural areas (n = 78, 75%). Abdominal pain was the most common presenting symptom, while icterus was the most frequent clinical sign. Elevated carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) was observed among 69 (66.3%) patients, and elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were observed in 77 (74%) patients. On ultrasonography (USG), a gallbladder mass was detected in 82 (78.8%) cases, while contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) identified mass lesions in 94 (90.4%) cases. Histopathologically, adenocarcinoma was the predominant subtype, with well-differentiated tumors accounting for 41 (39.4%) cases. Advanced disease at presentation was frequent, with T3-T4 tumors in 72 (69.2%) patients, nodal involvement in 67 (64.4%), and distant metastasis in 28 (26.9%) patients. Stage IVB was the most common AJCC stage (n = 42, 40.4%). Conclusion Gallbladder carcinoma patients in Tripura predominantly present with advanced-stage disease and exhibit a strong female preponderance. The high burden of locoregional and metastatic spread underscores the need for region-specific awareness, earlier diagnostic strategies, and strengthened referral pathways to improve outcomes in this high-risk population.