Issues
Largest reported case of carcinomatous gallbladder associated with intra cholecystic papillary neoplasm (ICPN) with brief review of the literature
ABSTRACT
Gallbladder carcinoma is the most common cancer of the biliary tract and the fifth most common neoplasm of the digestive tract. The majority of symptomatic malignant gallbladders are inoperable. Although any chronic pathology obstructing the biliary outflow can result in an enlarged gall bladder, an intrinsic gall bladder malignancy producing a giant gallbladder is unusual.
A woman in her 40 s presented with complaints of a progressive abdominal lump of 2 years duration, which was thought to be an ovarian mass. After evaluation, the patient was found to have a giant gallbladder secondary to Intra cholecystic papillary neoplasm associated with invasive carcinoma. Given the rarity of a giant gallbladder, the combination of both giant gallbladder and symptomatic operable carcinomatous gallbladder is even rarer. There are only 3 reported cases of carcinomatous giant gallbladder, 2 of which are operable. We present one such case.
IMPACT STATEMENT
Giant gallbladder is a rare finding and association with carcinoma is even rarer. This article describes this unique case scenario with a summary of published scarce literature thus far and a brief review on intra cholecystic papillary neoplasm associated carcinomas.