Hepatopancreatoduodenectomy for squamous and adenosquamous carcinoma of the gallbladder

The characteristics of squamous or adenosquamous cell carcinoma of the gallbladder differ quite markedly from those of adenocarcinoma, although the incidence is extremely low. Recently, we encountered both of the former types of gallbladder carcinoma: a 77-year-old man with squamous cell carcinoma and a 70-year-old man with adenosquamous cell carcinoma of the gallbladder. Both had a large mass in the gallbladder fossa region with infiltration to the liver and invasion of the duodenum. Hepatopancreatoduodenectomy was performed on both of these patients. The TNM stage of the former was IV (T4N0M0) and of the latter IV (T4N0M0) and of the latter IV (T4N1bM0). The former has remained well without recurrence for about 1 year and 4 months after the operation, while the latter died of recurrent disease 6 months after operation. The true reason for the difference in the prognosis of these two patients was not known. However, hepatopancreatoduodenectomy is considered to be a most adaptable operative procedure for squamous or adenosquamous cell carcinoma of the gallbladder in view of their mode of spread, and the presence of lymph node metastasis might be a factor of poor prognosis.