Mucin-hypersecreting Cholangiocarcinoma causing Obstructive Jaundice

Kim, Young Woo; Han, Ho Seong; Choi, Yong Man

Abstract

The authors experienced three cases of cholangiocarcinoma associated with profuse mucin production. We intended to review and summarize the clinical features of these patients to emphasize the clinical importance of mucin-producing cholangiocarcinoma. All patients were female. Symptoms were mainly right upper quadrant pain and jaundice. Diagnosis was made by characteristic endoscopic retrograde cholangiographic findings and computed tomography. Bile ducts were dilatated and obstructive jaundice had developed as a result of the accumulation of mucin realeased by the tumor. Treatments were hepatic lobectomies for two intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients and extrahepatic bile duct resection and hepaticojejunostomy for one patient. There was no postoperative complication. Pathologies were well differentiated papillary adenocarcinoma in two cases. Two patients are still living without recurrence for over three and four years respectively. One patient who had T4 lesion died of recurrence 38 months after operation. Conclusively, aggressive surgical treatment may be justified in the treatment of mucin hypersecreting cholangiocarcinoma even in advanced stage in view of the favorable outcome after radical operation. Further study is needed to clarify its biological behavior.