A case of mucin-producing bile duct cancer with difficulty in differentiation from bile duct cystadenocarcinoma

Abstract

A 53-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with the chief complaint of chest tightness. Abdominal CT scan detected a liver cystic tumor having a contrast-enhanced papillary projection. Based on a diagnosis of biliary cystadenocarcinoma, the patient underwent extended right hepatic lobectomy, exicision of the extrahepatic bile duct, lymphadenectomy, and biliary reconstruction. We found communication between the bile duct and the cystic lesion at laparotomy, and pathological examinations did not prove ovarian-like stroma in this case. We therefore diagnosed this case as mucin-producing bile duct cancer. The patient is doing well without any signs of recurrence as of 12 months after the operation.
Mucin-producing bile duct cancer is a relatively rare entity. No concept of the disease as well as its characteristics including differentiation from bile duct cystadenocarcinoma has definitely been established as yet. This case of the disease is reported, together with some bibliographical comments.