A 62-year-old male patient (Shrikant Parjanjpe) name changed admitted in Apex Multispecialty Hospitals in Borivali (East) with abdominal pain and jaundice. Diagnostic imaging, including ultrasound (USG) and a CT scan, revealed gallbladder cancer with metastatic spread to the liver. When gallbladder cancer is “revealed” to have spread to the liver, it means that the cancer is already at an advanced stage (typically stage IV) and has metastasized beyond its organ of origin.

A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis, and Dr. Maunil Ajay Bhuta, Chief Interventional Radiologist at Apex Group of Hospitals, devised a comprehensive treatment plan. Giving more information in this rare medical case Dr. Maunil Ajay Bhuta, Chief Interventional Radiologist says,” In Apex Multispeciality Hospitals (Part of Apex Group of Hospitals) we performed a pioneering, “first‐of‐its‐kind” combined procedure where a patient with obstructive jaundice received percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) with biliary stenting to relieve the blockage and, in the same session or closely timed intervention, cryoablation was applied to a liver tumor. This dual approach simultaneously addressed the high bilirubin levels (by decompressing the obstructed bile ducts and restoring bile flow) and directly targeted the tumor with cryoablation. The fact that the patient recovered well and was discharged is an encouraging sign that this innovative combination may offer a safe and effective palliative or even potentially curative option for select patients with complex hepatobiliary disease. After a smooth recovery, he has been discharged in stable condition. This ground-breaking procedure underscores the advancements in interventional radiology, providing minimally invasive yet highly effective solutions for complex cancer cases.”

This situation is unfortunately common with gallbladder cancer because the disease is often silent in its early stages and tends to be discovered incidentally or once symptoms develop. Many gallbladder cancers are found only after they have invaded adjacent liver tissue, given the close anatomical relationship between the gallbladder and the liver.