A CASE OF ENDOCRINE CELL CARCINOMA OF THE GALLBLADDER

Abstract

Endocrine cell carcinoma of the gallbladder is a very uncommon disease with a poor prognosis and no effective therapy for the disease has not been established as yet. We report here a rare case of endocrine cell carcinoma of the gallbladder. A 40-year-old woman admitted to another hospital because of right hypochondriac pain was refered to the hospital for a tumor in the neck of the gallbladder which remained after successful treatment of cholecystitis. After admission to the hospital, computed tomogra-phy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed a tumor in the neck of the gallbladder and anomalous arrangement of pancreaticobiliary duct. We diagnosed it as a gallbladder carcinoma and performed surgery. The intraoperative pathological diagnosis was neuroendocrine cell carcinoma. A pancreatoduodenectomy and resection of the liver S4a and S5 were performed, because lymphnode involvement around the pancreas head was evident. The tumor showed nodular protruded type. Histological findings demonstrated that the tumor consisted of endocrine cell carcinoma. Positive chromogranin A, EMA and NSE stainings were observed in these cells. Postoperative course was uneventful. The treatment strategy for patients with endocrine cell carcinoma is to detect the origin and metastases in an early stage and to observe carefully after the operation because of its malignant potential.