Hepatobiliary cystadenocarcinoma without ovarian stroma and normal CA 19-9 levels. Unusually prolonged evolution

Hepatobiliary cystadenoma and cystadenocarcinoma are rare tumors of the liver. The differential diagnosis of cystadenoma includes other cystic neoplasms, nonneoplastic cysts, and even on some occasions parasitic liver involvement. It has been suggested that elevated serum level of the tumor marker CA 19-9 may be of value in distinguishing between cystadenoma with ovarian stroma and hydatid disease. We report the unique case of a male patient with a hepatobiliary cystadenocarcinoma without ovarian stroma of prolonged evolution characterized by a normal CA 19-9 serum level, low cyst fluid CA 19-9, and a very weak CA 19-9 expression on cyst epithelium.