We here report on a case of metachronous multicentric carcinomas of the biliary tract treated 3 times with curative surgery over 23 years. A 28-year-old woman underwent cholecystectomy because of papillary carcinoma of the gallbladder. After 17 years, 3 carcinomas developed in the biliary tract: intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma of the left liver, common bile duct carcinoma, and remnant cystic duct carcinoma. They were successfully removed via left hepatectomy combined with pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy. Furthermore, another intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma developed 6 years after the second surgery, which was removed again via partial resection of the posterior segment of the liver. Histological findings of carcinomas represented various grades of cell differentiation. No predisposition toward carcinogenesis was found, since neither pancreaticobiliary maljunction nor primary sclerosing cholangitis was present, and the overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 was negative in all resected specimens. Close monitoring for recurrence is warranted for early detection of metachronous carcinoma that might be effectively treated with repeated resection.

Keywords:
Metachronous carcinoma, Carcinoma of the biliary tract, COX-2 protein expression, Repeated resection
This content is only available via PDF.
© 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel
2009
Open Access License / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Open Access License: This is an Open Access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC) (www.karger.com/OA-license), applicable to the online version of the article only. Distribution permitted for non-commercial purposes only.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License .
Attribution-NonCommercial