Minimally invasive papillary carcinoma of the extrahepatic bile ducts

Invasive papillary carcinomas of the Extrahepatic Bile Ducts (EBD) are uncommon (4-5%). The course is less aggressive than conventional adenocarcinomas of the extrahepatic bile ducts. Non-invasive and minimally invasive papillary carcinomas are even rarer, behave as in-situ carcinomas and are associated with excellent long-term prognosis. A variety of lesions of the EBD that show papillary architecture should be distinguished from papillary carcinoma. Here, we report a case of papillary carcinoma of the common bile duct showing minimal invasion. Separation of invasive from non-invasive or minimally invasive papillary carcinoma is critical in estimating the patient outcome.