Primary biliary tract malignant melanoma

Uncommon neoplasms of the biliary tract: radiological findings

OBJECTIVE

To report our cancer centre experience in the biliary tumours incidence other than cholangiocellular-carcinoma, emphasizing the radiological features.

METHODS

197 patients with biliary disease undergoing Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI were reviewed. Four radiologists evaluated retrospectively size, structure, anatomical site and signal intensity of lesions on MRI. Enhancement-pattern during the arterial-, portal- and late-phase on ultrasound, CT and MR study was assessed as well as the enhancement pattern during the hepatobiliary-phase on MRI.

RESULTS

23 patients were selected. The lesion was intraductal in 5 cases, periductal in 14 and intrahepatic in 4. 16 lesions were solid, 5 uniloculated cystic and 2 complex cystic. In five patients the lesion was simple cyst, with a signal intensity in T₁ weighted (T1W) and T₂ weighted (T2W) similar to the gallbladder. In two patients with complex cystic lesion, the solid component was heterogeneously hypointense in T₁ W, hyperintense in T₂ W with a restricted diffusion. The solid component showed heterogeneous contrast-enhancement on CT, MR and ultrasound. The tumour was intrahepatic in two patients, with signal hypointense in T₁ W and hyperintense in T₂ W. Diffusion was restricted. The lesions showed heterogeneous contrast-enhancement. The periductal lesions were hypointense in T₁ W, hyperintense in T₂ W with restricted diffusion. The lesion showed progressive contrast-enhancement. Peribiliary melanoma was hyperintense in T₁ W, hyperintense in T₂ W with restricted diffusion and progressively contrast-enhanced.

CONCLUSION

Biliary tumours can have a wide spectrum of radiologic appearances and consequently represent a diagnostic challenge for the radiologist. Advances in knowledge: MRI is the technique of choice in diagnosing biliary tumours, including rare (non-CCC) tumours.

Primary Bile Duct Melanoma Causing Obstructive Jaundice

Malignant melanoma is one of the few malignancies that are well known for unusual behavior. Primary malignant melanoma usually originates from squamous epithelium of skin, mucous membranes, retina, and uvea. Although melanoma can metastasize to any part of the body, including biliary tract, primary malignant melanoma of bile ducts is an extremely rare entity. We present a 52-year-old man who presented with 5-month epigastric pain and 15-pound weight loss, with 1-week duration of jaundice, nausea/vomiting, pale stools, and dark urine, blood work suggested cholestatic jaundice. Imaging revealed a large perihilar/peripancreatic mass involving the portal vein and hepatic artery, and intrahepatic biliary dilation. Biliary brushings revealed neoplastic cells strongly suggestive of malignant melanoma.

Primary biliary tract melanoma: Report of a case and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

Primary melanoma of the bile duct is extremely rare with only nine cases of primary melanoma of the bile duct reported in the literature.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 55-year-old previously healthy gentleman developed increasing jaundice over several months and subsequently underwent an ERCP with stone extraction. Cytology brushings in an area of a distal stricture in the bile duct were concerning for cholangiocarcinoma. The patient was referred to our institution and underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy. The surgical specimen showed a single 4.5cm polypoid lesion located in the bile duct. A diagnosis of melanoma was rendered after immunohistochemical studies on the tumor demonstrated positivity for melanoma markers. Follow-up of the patient with skin, ocular, and lymph node exams showed no evidence of melanoma. A PET scan 4 and 10 months post-surgery failed to reveal either a primary skin lesion or other sites of metastases.

DISCUSSION

The vast majority of melanomas of the bile duct represent metastases from a cutaneous source and tend to present as multiple flat pigmented lesions. Conversely, cases of primary bile duct melanoma are characterized by a distinct gross morphology consisting of a solitary intraluminal polypoid lesion attached by a pedicle with no other identifiable primary lesion. Other supporting criteria include absence of other involved sites and presence of an in situ junctional component.

CONCLUSION

Given the clinical history, gross findings, and lack of a primary cutaneous site or other demonstrable metastases, this patient likely represents the tenth reported case of primary biliary tract melanoma.

Presumed primary malignant melanoma of the liver: a case report

A 55-year-old woman was hospitalized with a palpable and painful mass in her upper abdomen. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a 10 × 7-cm tumor extending into the abdominal cavity from the left hepatic lobe and multiple metastatic lesions in the right hepatic lobe. A left hepatic lobectomy was performed for debulking and palliative resection. Histopathological examination of the resected specimen diagnosed the large hepatic tumor in the left hepatic lobe as a malignant melanoma. Physical and radiological examinations were performed on dermatological, ophthalmic, gynecological, and central nervous system areas, and endoscopic examinations were performed on the upper digestive tract and colon. No other lesions were disclosed as possible primary tumors for the disease. This result suggested that the tumor might arise from the left hepatic lobe.

[A solitary tumor of the common bile duct: case report of a metastatic melanoma]

Primary malignant melanoma of the bile duct is very rare. We report a case of a malignant melanoma involving the common bile duct in a 41-year-old man. The patient presented to the hospital with an isolated jaundice and underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. Absolute exclusion of a metastatic tumor is not entirely possible.

Primary malignant melanoma of the common bile duct: a case report and literature review

Primary malignant melanoma of the common bile duct is rare. Only seven cases have been described in the literature. Diagnosis is based on failure to find another primary site, histological examination with electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical tests. We describe a new case of primary malignant melanoma of the biliary tract and present a review of previous reports.

Primary malignant melanoma of the common bile duct: a case report and review of the literature

Primary malignant melanoma of the common bile duct is rare. To our knowledge, only 6 cases have been reported previously. The pathologic diagnosis of primary malignant melanoma in extracutaneous sites often requires the use of confirmatory immunohistochemical stains and electron microscopy studies, as well as tests to rule out other possible remote or concurrent primary sites. The presence of junctional activity adjacent to the tumor is another important requisite for the diagnosis of this entity. Nevertheless, absolute exclusion of a metastatic melanoma from an unknown occult site or regressed site is not entirely possible. We describe our observations in a case of primary malignant melanoma of the common bile duct in a 48-year-old man and discuss the criteria for diagnosis of primary melanoma.