Gallbladder cancer symptoms can include ‘dragging feeling’ on one side

“To reduce your risk of developing cancer, we recommend maintaining a healthy weight, having a healthy diet, keeping active, not smoking and being safe in the sun. “

As well as losing weight if necessary, the NHS recommends quitting smoking and cutting back on alcohol to lower your risk of gallbladder cancer.

However, there are certain factors beyond your control that can raise your chances of the disease.

These include if you:

• Are over the age of 75, it’s most common in people over 85
• Are a woman
• Have certain medical conditions, such as gallstones, growths (polyps) in your gallbladder, porcelain gallbladder, abnormal bile ducts, long-term swelling of the gallbladder or bile ducts, or diabetes
• Have a brother, sister or parent who had gallbladder cancer
• Have Latin American or Asian heritage.