Which of the following statement(s) is/are true concerning a 35-year-old woman found to have asymptomatic gallstones?

c. The patient has less than 10% chance of developing significant symptoms over the next five years

The optimal management of individual patients with asymptomatic gallstones has been debated for years. Most evidence, although still somewhat controversial, would indicate that the natural history of asymptomatic gallstones is benign and that early or prophylactic cholecystectomy, either laparoscopic or otherwise, is rarely indicated. It is suggested that less than 10% of patients with asymptomatic gallstones will develop significant symptoms over a five year period. Similarly, medical dissolution with oral agents, extracorporial biliary lithotripsy, or contact dissolution, is not indicated in these patients. The risk of gallbladder cancer is so low as to not warrant cholecystectomy in asymptomatic patients.