Papillary adenocarcinoma of the subvesical duct

This is, to our knowledge, the first report of papillary adenocarcinoma originating in the subvesical bile duct. A 77-year-old man was referred to our hospital for further evaluation of liver dysfunction. Serum liver function test results on admission included: aspartate aminotransferase, 99 IU/l; alanine aminotransferase, 149 IU/l; lactate dehydrogenase, 438 IU/l; alkaline phosphatase, 992 IU/l; leucine aminopeptidase, 320 IU/l; and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, 593 IU/l. Serum carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 value was high (80 U/ml). Abdominal ultrasonogram, computed tomographic scan, and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram demonstrated a mass in the common hepatic duct, and dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts. A laparotomy was performed on May 14, 1997. The tumor originated in the dilated subvesical duct that joined the common hepatic duct, and projected into the common hepatic duct. The patient underwent cholecystectomy, resection of the subvesical duct and the common hepatic duct, dissection of regional pericholedochal lymph nodes, and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. The resected tumor presented macroscopically as a papillary mass measuring 4.0 x 2.0 cm. The pathological diagnosis was papillary adenocarcinoma. The immunostaining positivity rates for MIB-1 and p53 protein were 49.6% and 33.8%, respectively.