Pleomorphic carcinoma of the gallbladder: report of a case

The authors report a rare case of primary pleomorphic carcinoma of the gallbladder in a 70-year-old woman. A polypoid tumor protruded into the lumen from the fundus of the gallbladder. Characteristic histologic findings included a general lack of architectural cohesiveness, marked pleomorphism, presence of mononucleated and multinucleated giant cells, extensive necrosis, leukocyte-tumor cell phagocytosis or cannibalism. Immunoreactivity for cytokeratin, carcinoembryonic antigen and epithelial membrane antigen as well as histochemical positivity for mucins demonstrated the epithelial nature of the tumor. The neoplasm behaved aggressively; the patient died of metastases 9 months after the operation.