UNUSUAL TYPES OF GALLBLADDER CARCINOMA - A REPORT OF 16 CASES

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 105  (6) , 287-293
Abstract
In 159 gallbladder carcinomas, 4 unusual histologic types were identified: oat-cell carcinoma (5 cases), giant-cell adenocarcinoma (7 cases), intestinal-type adenocarcinoma (3 cases) and adenocarcinoma with choriocarcinoma-like areas (1 case). Oat-cell carcinomas were similar at light-microscopic and EM levels to those previously described in other anatomic locations. Giant-cell adenocarcinomas coexisted with well-differentiated adenocarcinomas and exhibited transition areas. They apparently originate from preexistent adenocarcinomas. Intestinal-type adenocarcinomas consisted predominantly of goblet cells or glandular structures similar to colonic crypts. These 4 histologic types of gallbladder carcinoma were more common in women than in men, usually coexisted with lithiasis, and had a highly aggresive clinical behavior. Fourteen patients died of direct local extension and metastases, and 2 were unavailable for follow-up.