EARLY CHOLEDOCHAL CANCER WITH HEMOBILIA FOUND BY ENDOSCOPY REPORT OF A CASE

Abstract

A 77-year-old female was admitted to our hospital complaining of upper abdominal discomfort. Marked dilatation of the common bile duct was seen by ultrasonography and computed tomography. At endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancratic examination, hemobilia was found and ERCP showed a filling defect at the distal portion of the common bile duct. Cytological examination of bile juice was positive for malignant cells. At operation, the tumor of the distal common bile duct was completely removed and easily separated frome the pancreas. Neither metastasis nor direct invasion to the lymphnodes, liver and pancreas was found. Histological findings showed well differentiated papillary adenocarcinoma localized within the bile duct wall. The importance of hemobilia shoul be emphasized on the diagnosis of choledochal cancer.