Carcinoma of the gallbladder found during laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a case report and review of the literature

Axillary nodal metastasis of operated gallbladder carcinoma: remote site of aggression-a case report

Background

Gallbladder cancer is a very aggressive type of biliary tract cancer. The only curative treatment is complete surgical excision of the tumour. However, even after surgery, there is still a risk of recurrence of the cancer.

Case presentation

A 63-year-old gentleman presented with the complaint of a non-healing ulcer at upper abdomen for the last 1 month. He had undergone a laparoscopic cholecystectomy at a private centre 4 months ago. Investigations confirmed the diagnosis of epigastric port site metastasis from a primary from gall bladder adenocarcinoma. After undergoing completion radical cholecystectomy with wide local excision of the epigastric ulcer, he received 6 cycles of concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Eighteen months later, he presented to us with bilateral axillary swellings. Investigations confirmed isolated bilateral axillary metastasis and the patient underwent a bilateral axillary lymphadenectomy (Level 3). However, PET scan after 6 months showed widespread metastasis and the patient succumbed to the illness 1 month later.

Conclusion

Axillary metastasis probably occurs due to the presence of microscopic systemic metastasis at the time of development of port site metastasis. An R0 resection of the malignancy is the only viable option for effective therapy. The present case highlights the rare involvement of isolated bilateral axillary lymph nodes as a distant metastatic site with no evidence of disease in the locoregional site. However, the prognosis after metastasis remains dismal despite multiple treatment modalities.

Occult gallbladder carcinoma after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a report of four cases

Eighty-four patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) from January through August 2006. Of these patients, 4 (4.7%) were found to have occult gallbladder carcinoma (GC) either during or after the procedure. Two of the patients were women and 2 were men. The mean age was 75.0 years. One patient had mucosal tumors, 2 had subserosal tumors, and 1 had a serosal lesion. One of the 2 patients with subserosal tumors underwent radical surgery. In a previous study, 0.83% (10 of 1,195) of patients who had undergone LC were found to have occult GC, either during of after the procedure. The prevalence of gallbladder carcinoma has recently been increasing. GC has been reported in 0.3% to 1.5% of patients who have undergone cholecystectomy. Since the introduction of laparoscopic surgery, the number of cholecystectomies being performed has increased, which may explain why occult GC seems to be occurring more frequently. The prognosis for GC is poor, and surgical resection is the only potentially curative treatment. However, GC is difficult to diagnose at an early stage and difficult to recognize even in the advanced stages. Fifteen percent to 30% of patients show no preoperative or intraoperative evidence of malignancy. Occult GC is also increasing. Because flat infiltrating GC and GC with cholecystitis and numerous stones are difficult to diagnose preoperatively, we recommend taking frozen sections from patients who are of advanced age (older than 70 years), have a long history of stones, or have a thickened gallbladder wall.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for polypoid lesions of the gallbladder: a clinicopathologic study

The size and number of gallbladder polyps are used to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions before surgery and to determine whether surgery is necessary for the lesion. Since 1987, laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been widely used as the management method of choice for gallbladder lesions. The results of a clinicopathologic study of polypoid lesions of the gallbladder, based completely on laparoscopically resected gallbladder tissue, have not yet been evaluated fully. Data from 123 patients with polypoid lesions of the gallbladder treated by laparoscopic cholecystectomy were reviewed retrospectively. The gallbladders were classified into four histologic groups. Clinical features, maximal diameter, and the number of lesions were compared among the groups. The mean age of patients with adenoma and cancer was significantly greater than that of patients with cholesterol polyps and other lesions. More women than men had a neoplasm (adenoma and cancer). Patients in the neoplasm group tended to have a single lesion. The mean maximal diameter of neoplasms was significantly larger than that of lesions in the nonneoplasm group. All seven malignant lesions that were detected measured at least 1.5 cm. Univariate analysis showed that polypoid lesions of the gallbladder with neoplastic lesions correlated significantly with age, sex, size, and number of the lesions. Univariate analysis also showed that malignancy in polypoid lesions of the gallbladder correlated significantly with age, size, and number of the lesions. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the age of the patient and the size of the lesion (> or = 1.0 cm) are two independent factors in predicting neoplastic lesions in polypoid lesions of the gallbladder. The size of the lesion (> or = 1.5 cm) is the only independent factor in predicting malignancy in the polypoid lesions of the gallbladder as shown by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe and feasible method for gallbladder polypoid lesions. Neoplastic change in polypoid lesions of the gallbladder should be considered when a patient older than 50 years of age has a polypoid lesion larger than 1.0 cm. Cancer should be suspected when a polypoid lesion of the gallbladder is larger than 1.5 cm, and an aggressive surgical approach is warranted so that early gallbladder cancer can be detected and patients can have an increased chance of cure.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for polypoid lesions of the gallbladder: a clinicopathologic study

The size and number of gallbladder polyps are used to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions before surgery and to determine whether surgery is necessary for the lesion. Since 1987, laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been widely used as the management method of choice for gallbladder lesions. The results of a clinicopathologic study of polypoid lesions of the gallbladder, based completely on laparoscopically resected gallbladder tissue, have not yet been evaluated fully. Data from 123 patients with polypoid lesions of the gallbladder treated by laparoscopic cholecystectomy were reviewed retrospectively. The gallbladders were classified into four histologic groups. Clinical features, maximal diameter, and the number of lesions were compared among the groups. The mean age of patients with adenoma and cancer was significantly greater than that of patients with cholesterol polyps and other lesions. More women than men had a neoplasm (adenoma and cancer). Patients in the neoplasm group tended to have a single lesion. The mean maximal diameter of neoplasms was significantly larger than that of lesions in the nonneoplasm group. All seven malignant lesions that were detected measured at least 1.5 cm. Univariate analysis showed that polypoid lesions of the gallbladder with neoplastic lesions correlated significantly with age, sex, size, and number of the lesions. Univariate analysis also showed that malignancy in polypoid lesions of the gallbladder correlated significantly with age, size, and number of the lesions. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the age of the patient and the size of the lesion (> or = 1.0 cm) are two independent factors in predicting neoplastic lesions in polypoid lesions of the gallbladder. The size of the lesion (> or = 1.5 cm) is the only independent factor in predicting malignancy in the polypoid lesions of the gallbladder as shown by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe and feasible method for gallbladder polypoid lesions. Neoplastic change in polypoid lesions of the gallbladder should be considered when a patient older than 50 years of age has a polypoid lesion larger than 1.0 cm. Cancer should be suspected when a polypoid lesion of the gallbladder is larger than 1.5 cm, and an aggressive surgical approach is warranted so that early gallbladder cancer can be detected and patients can have an increased chance of cure.

Port-site metastasis following laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a review of the literature and a case report

Port-site metastasis following laparoscopic cholecystectomy with unsuspected gallbladder carcinoma is a serious problem. We reviewed 45 such cases reported in the English literature to date, and add another case which occurred in a 72-year-old female 13 months after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallstones, who also had an unapparent gallbladder carcinoma. Pre-operative diagnosis of gallbladder carcinoma is possible in less than 10% of cases, with a high index of suspicion. If detected during laparoscopy early conversion to open procedure is recommended. If diagnosed later, however, to contemplate further radical operation depending on histopathology would be unwise as a universal approach, because of increased associated morbidity and mortality. The prospect of cure is also very unrealistic in this condition.

Incidence of port site recurrence after laparoscopic cholecystectomy for preoperatively unsuspected gallbladder carcinoma

BACKGROUND

We sought to determine the incidence of recurrence of carcinoma at the port site and the outcome of patients with such recurrences after exploratory laparoscopy/laparoscopic cholecystectomy for unsuspected gallbladder carcinoma and analyzed aspects of the laparoscopic procedure associated with recurrences at the port site.

METHODS

Thirty-seven patients with preoperatively unknown adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder were analyzed. The patients were part of a large prospective study of the Swiss Association of Laparoscopic and Thoracoscopic Surgery including 10,925 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

RESULTS

Preoperatively undiagnosed adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder is rarely encountered in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (0.34%). The incidence of recurrence of carcinoma at the port site in these patients is 14% (5 of 37) and is similar whether the primary tumor is confined to the gallbladder (T1/T2) or locally advanced (T3/T4). The recurrences at the port site were diagnosed within 6 to 16 months (median 10 months) after the operation. Patients with an intraoperative perforation of the gallbladder had a higher incidence of recurrences at the port site (40%) than had patients without perforation (9%; P = .13). All patients with recurrences at the port site had distant metastases and all died of the disease 12 to 35 months (median 19 months) after cholecystectomy; all patients with such recurrences and stage T1/T2 tumors subsequently had peritoneal metastases.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with a preoperatively undiagnosed adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder undergoing laparoscopy or laparoscopic cholecystectomy have a high incidence of recurrences at the port site, and the incidence increases when a gallbladder perforation occurs during the operation. All patients with such recurrences died of the disease. The diagnosis of an isolated recurrence at the port site may therefore be an indicator of disseminated disease in most cases.

Gallbladder cancer and trocar site recurrences

BACKGROUND

Critics of laparoscopic surgery cite an increased incidence of tumor recurrence at the trocar sites following laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients incidentally found to have carcinoma of the gallbladder. The purpose of this review was to determine if laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed in patients with gallbladder cancer results in an increased incidence of abdominal wall recurrences.

METHODS

The charts of all patients with gallbladder cancer registered at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center from January 1991 through April 1996 were retrospectively reviewed. Data were collected on initial and subsequent surgical procedures, tumor grade and histology, T stage, adjuvant therapy, and survival. These data were analyzed with regard to abdominal wall recurrences and outcome.

RESULTS

Ninety-three patients with gallbladder cancer were seen during this period; 79 patients with complete follow-up information comprised the study population. Comparison of the incidence of abdominal wall recurrences among the categories of surgical procedure (laparoscopic versus open versus laparoscopic converted to open) did not reveal any statistically significant differences. Overall 5-year survival was 10%.

CONCLUSIONS

Gallbladder cancer is an aggressive malignancy with few long-term survivors. In addition, these data show that the incidence of abdominal wall implantation is not increased with laparoscopic surgery but is more likely a manifestation of the aggressive nature of this tumor.

Unsuspected gallbladder cancer diagnosed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a clinicopathological study

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for gallstones has become a popular treatment modality, but LC for gallbladder cancer is not yet established and its prognosis is still unknown. We clinicopathologically studied unsuspected gallbladder cancer presenting at pathologic evaluation after LC. The entire cross section of gallbladders after 456 LCs was histologically examined. The presence of malignant lesions was confirmed in 13 (2.85%) of 456 cases. The preoperative diagnoses were gallstones in 5 patients, gallbladder polyps in 5, gallstones with gallbladder polyps in 2, and gallstones with adenomyomatosis in 1. The carcinoma had invaded the mucosa in 7, the proper muscle in 2, and the subserosa in 3; the serosa was exposed in 1. The tumor size ranged from 2 mm to the entire gallbladder. An additional resection was performed in 2 patients. During the mean follow-up period of 25.9 months, 1 patient died of recurrence at 8 months while 1 demonstrated recurrence at the port site 1 year after surgery. No other patients have had any recurrence to date. Since early gallbladder cancer removed laparoscopically can be expected to have a satisfactory outcome, diagnostic and therapeutic LC is recommended in cases where total biopsy is indicated. However, in every case, extreme caution needs to be exercised to prevent the dissemination and implantation of cancer cells at the port site.

Reliability of frozen section diagnosis of gallbladder tumor for detecting carcinoma and depth of its invasion

BACKGROUND

An accurate frozen section diagnosis is important when deciding the surgical strategy against a gallbladder tumor intraoperatively. Little has been reported on the accuracy of frozen section diagnosis of the gallbladder.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a total of 86 consecutive patients with gallbladder tumor, the accuracy of the frozen section diagnosis was examined. There were 32 patients with polypoid lesions and 54 with nonpolypoid tumors.

RESULTS

The frozen tissue diagnosis and final diagnosis were identical in 82 of the 86 cases, that is, benign in 65 and malignant in 17. The other four cases had different diagnoses, that is, conversion from benign to malignant in two and from malignant to benign in two. The overall accuracy of frozen diagnosis was 95.3% (97.0% for benign and 94.7% for malignant). In 32 polypoid lesions, the accuracy of frozen section diagnosis was 91% (93% for benign; 89% for malignant). In 54 nonpolypoid lesions, the accuracy of diagnosis was 98% (100% for benign; 93% for malignant). The diagnosis of depth of invasion was identical only in 7 (70%) of the 10 carcinoma cases examined, while it was diverse in the remaining 3, that is, conversion from adenocarcinoma invading the subserosa to that limiting to the mucosa in one, from carcinoma within the mucosa to that infiltrating the muscle coat in one, and from carcinoma affecting the muscle layer to that invading the subserosa in the other. Alterations of frozen section diagnosis about being benign or malignant and about the depth of invasion were encountered in seven patients, five of whom had a polypoid tumor.

CONCLUSIONS

The intraoperative frozen tissue diagnosis is fairly reliable as to whether lesions are malignant or benign; however, accuracy is low in patients with polypoid lesions of the gallbladder. Also, frozen section diagnosis does not reliably measure the depth of invasion of gallbladder carcinoma.

Reliability of frozen section diagnosis of gallbladder tumor for detecting carcinoma and depth of its invasion

BACKGROUND

An accurate frozen section diagnosis is important when deciding the surgical strategy against a gallbladder tumor intraoperatively. Little has been reported on the accuracy of frozen section diagnosis of the gallbladder.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a total of 86 consecutive patients with gallbladder tumor, the accuracy of the frozen section diagnosis was examined. There were 32 patients with polypoid lesions and 54 with nonpolypoid tumors.

RESULTS

The frozen tissue diagnosis and final diagnosis were identical in 82 of the 86 cases, that is, benign in 65 and malignant in 17. The other four cases had different diagnoses, that is, conversion from benign to malignant in two and from malignant to benign in two. The overall accuracy of frozen diagnosis was 95.3% (97.0% for benign and 94.7% for malignant). In 32 polypoid lesions, the accuracy of frozen section diagnosis was 91% (93% for benign; 89% for malignant). In 54 nonpolypoid lesions, the accuracy of diagnosis was 98% (100% for benign; 93% for malignant). The diagnosis of depth of invasion was identical only in 7 (70%) of the 10 carcinoma cases examined, while it was diverse in the remaining 3, that is, conversion from adenocarcinoma invading the subserosa to that limiting to the mucosa in one, from carcinoma within the mucosa to that infiltrating the muscle coat in one, and from carcinoma affecting the muscle layer to that invading the subserosa in the other. Alterations of frozen section diagnosis about being benign or malignant and about the depth of invasion were encountered in seven patients, five of whom had a polypoid tumor.

CONCLUSIONS

The intraoperative frozen tissue diagnosis is fairly reliable as to whether lesions are malignant or benign; however, accuracy is low in patients with polypoid lesions of the gallbladder. Also, frozen section diagnosis does not reliably measure the depth of invasion of gallbladder carcinoma.

Umbilical port metastasis from gallbladder carcinoma after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

A case of gallbladder carcinoma is presented where metastatic tumour developed at the abdominal wall port site following laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Trocar site seeding of inapparent gallbladder carcinoma during laparoscopic cholecystectomy

There are increasing reports of seeding of tumor at the trocar sites following laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with unexpected or inapparent gallbladder carcinoma. A patient is reported here whose primary tumor appeared controlled by surgery and radiation, but who died of the disease after developing implant metastases at three untreated trocar sites. The second case report illustrates the difficulty in identifying gallbladder cancer during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and the importance of a diligent preoperative effort to establish the diagnosis. Current literature suggests that tumor implantation occurring during laparoscopic cholecystectomy for inapparent carcinoma adversely affects prognosis, and, until the effect of laparoscopy on the spread of this tumor is better understood and controlled, open operation should be performed when carcinoma of the gallbladder is suspected. When laparoscopic cholecystectomy is done for inapparent gallbladder cancer, surgical and adjuvant radiotherapy to the trocar sites appears to improve outcome in association with extended treatment to the gallbladder bed and adjacent areas. Recent reports suggest that progress in diagnostic, surgical, and adjuvant techniques could substantially improve survival in carcinoma of the gallbladder.

Peritoneal seeding of gallbladder cancer after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

We report a case of peritoneal seeding of an unsuspected adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder following laparoscopic cholecystectomy despite the use of a retrieval bag. The metastasis developed at the umbilical trocar site, which was also used to extract the resected gallbladder. There was no evidence foe a leak of the retrieval bag. Most likely malignant cells became desquamated during the operation, implanting themselves in the tissue during the removal of the bag. Taking into consideration previous reports and the dismal prognosis of the disease, we discuss the management in the case of an incidental carcinoma.

Unexpected gallbladder cancer and laparoscopic surgery

Case histories of three patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for unexpected gallbladder cancer are reviewed. Port-site recurrence was observed in two of them. In one patient whose abdominal wall recurrent tumor was excised, a new recurrence developed, but after the reexcision she is symptom-free 10 months after the last procedure. The surgeon has to be aware of the fact that the survival rate can be doubled in stage pT2 if cholecystectomy is followed by extended radical operation. Only gallbladder cancer in stage pT1 does not need further procedure, except for excision of port sites. In case of uncertain diagnosis preoperative frozen section is recommended. Port-site recurrence does not mean an incurable stage of the disease or a sign of diffuse metastases. Even after reexcision of abdominal wall metastasis patients might be free from other detectable recurrences.

Trocar-site metastasis following laparoscopic cholecystectomy for unsuspected carcinoma of the gallbladder. Case report and review of the literature

Fifteen cases of trocar-size metastasis from unsuspected gallbladder carcinoma following laparoscopic cholecystectomy have been reported in the literature. We present the case of a 66-year-old woman who developed this complication 21/2 months postoperatively. We feel that carcinoma of the gallbladder is a contraindication to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. When unsuspected lesions are discovered, intraoperative frozen-section lesions will facilitate the surgical management.

Complications of therapeutic laparoscopy

Laparoscopic surgery holds great promise as a technique for reducing hospital stay and convalescence. Although advantages in hospital cost cannot be shown for all such procedures, improvements in technique and operator experience will undoubtedly improve the situation. Analysis of the pertinent physiologic aspects and complication rates indicates that laparoscopy is not minimally invasive, but rather exposes the patient to many of the risks normally incurred by open procedures. Enthusiasm for the use of these techniques must be tempered by good judgment and scientific evidence supporting equivalent or better long-term results at equal or lower rates of morbidity and mortality.

Slicer and tissue retrieval system for excisional endoscopic surgery

Extraction of large specimens risks detachment of malignant cells within the peritoneal cavity and contamination of the parieties with resultant seedling implantation at the access wounds. Therefore, extraction is best conducted through a rip-proof sleeve-retrieval system which creates a "third space" in which the specimen can be sliced under visual control. Slicing of tissue is preferable to morcellation or disintegration since it preserves the structural integrity of the tissue and thereby does not jeopardize histopathological examination and staging of excised tumors. Of the two types of tissue-slicing mechanisms investigated, the compression-moving blade system (CMB) was found to be superior to wire-cutting devices. A prototype CMB slicer has been developed which has been tested experimentally and is currently undergoing clinical evaluation.

Laparoscopic cancer surgery. Lessons from gallbladder cancer

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) may inhibit the discovery of unsuspected gallbladder cancer, and the effect of LC on the prognosis of gallbladder cancer is unknown. We present two cases of unsuspected gallbladder cancer removed laparoscopically and report the discovery of peritoneal tumor implantation at the umbilical port site 21 days after LC. Although gallbladder carcinoma flow cytometry has been reported to be of prognostic value by Japanese investigators, this technique did not distinguish herein between an invasive adenocarcinoma and carcinoma in situ. A cellular doubling time of 56 h was calculated from one tumor. When unsuspected invasive gallbladder cancer is found after LC, laparoscopic port sites should be inspected at reoperation and, at a minimum, the port site through which the gallbladder was removed should be widely excised. This demonstration of cancer recurrence in laparoscopic port sites may limit the application of laparoscopy to elective cancer resection.

Unsuspected carcinoma of the gallbladder. A laparoscopic dilemma

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for gallstones. A formal contraindication is gallbladder cancer. However, in a great number of cases, this is a previously unsuspected intraoperative finding, and sometimes its first appearance is in acute cholecystitis. We present the case of 67-year-old woman, which presented an unsuspected carcinoma of the gallbladder that developed abdominal wall implants at the umbilical and left hypocondrium site. The success of LC favors the observation of cases similar to that described in this article. Surgeons who operate using laparoscopic techniques should bear this possibility in mind and practice an extemporaneous biopsy at the slightest suspicion of malignancy, and, if it is confirmed, the operation should be continued as an open one.

Subcutaneous metastases after laparoscopic resection of malignancy

Following the introduction and widespread acceptance of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, laparoscopic techniques have been applied to an increasing variety of general surgical procedures. Recently, laparoscopic procedures for resection of malignancy have begun to emerge, in particular laparoscopic assisted colectomy for carcinoma of the colon. In the cases reported here, metastatic tumour in the laparoscopy port sites is described as a potentially serious complication of laparoscopic procedures for resection of malignancy.