Published online May 28, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i20.3161
Revised: March 13, 2013
Accepted: April 3, 2013
Published online: May 28, 2013
Processing time: 154 Days and 18.4 Hours
We present the first case of an intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) accompanying a mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC). A 74-year-old woman presented with fever of unknown cause. Laboratory data revealed jaundice and liver injury. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a 20 mm polypoid tumor in the dilated distal bile duct, which exhibited early enhancement and papillary growth. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed mucus production from the papilla of Vater, characterized by its protruding and dilated orifice. Endoscopic ultrasonography visualized the polypoid tumor in the distal bile duct, but no invasive region was suggested by diagnostic imaging. Therefore, the initial diagnosis was IPNB. After endoscopic nasobiliary drainage, a pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. Pathological examination of the resected bile duct revealed papillary proliferation of biliary-type cells with nuclear atypia, indicating pancreaticobiliary-type IPNB. In addition, solid portions comprised of tumor cells with characteristic salt-and-pepper nuclei were evident. Immunohistochemistry revealed expression of the neuroendocrine marker synaptophysin in this solid component, diagnosing it as a neuroendocrine tumor (NET). Furthermore, the MIB-1 proliferation index of NET was higher than that of IPNB, and microinvasion of the NET component was found, indicating neuroendocrine carcinoma (NET G3). This unique case of MANEC, comprising IPNB and NET, provides insight into the pathogenesis of biliary NET.
Core tip: A 74-year-old woman presented with fever and jaundice. Computed tomography revealed a polypoid tumor in the dilated distal bile duct. Pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. Pathological examination revealed the papillary proliferation of biliary-type cells with nuclear atypia in the dilated bile duct, indicating papillary neoplasm of the bile duct. A solid portion comprised of tumor cells with characteristic salt-and-pepper nuclei was found. Immunohistochemistry revealed synaptophysin expression in the solid portion, diagnosing it as a neuroendocrine tumor (NET). This case provides insight into the pathogenesis of biliary NET.