Table 1.

TNM (UICC) staging of GBC by time of diagnosis.

	UICC I	UICC II	UICC III	UICC IVb	UICC IVb
Group 1 (n = 76)	0	0	15	8	53
Group 2 (n = 44)	0	0	10	14	20
Group 3 (n = 32)	14	12	6	0	0
Total (n = 152)	14	12	31	22	73

In UICC stages I and II GBC is limited to the gallbladder wall (I: T1a/b; II: T2), in UICC stage III lymphnodes are positive (T1-3), in UICC IVa the tumor is locally destructive (T4), and in UICC stage IVb local or distant metastases are present.