Biliary cystadenoma of the liver with elevated CA 19-9

Significantly Elevated CA 19-9 after COVID-19 Vaccination and Literature Review of Non-Cancerous Cases with CA 19-9 > 1000 U/mL

BACKGROUND

CA 19-9 is a commonly assessed tumor marker, considered characteristic of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and biliary tract cancers; however, the positive predictive value of CA 19.9 is too low, and the usage of CA 19.9 as a screening tool in the healthy population remains controversial.

METHODS

The presented case illustrates a reversed diagnosis of highly elevated serum CA 19-9 levels in a 54-year-old female complaining of pain in the epigastric region, shortly after COVID-19 vaccination. Laboratory tests showed a significantly elevated level of the CA 19-9 marker (>12,000 U/mL, reference value: <37 U/mL) with normal pancreatic enzyme activity. The patient underwent imaging examination, which showed no abnormalities, except for increased pancreatic dimension and areas of fluid signal in the pancreas in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which may correspond to autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP). The patient remains asymptomatic with a recommendation for a follow-up MRI in 12 months.

RESULTS

A literature review conducted revealed multi-causal CA 19-9 increases above 1000 U/mL, including non-cancerous diseases of the lung, pancreas, liver, ovary, kidney, and others. The median concentration of CA 19-9 regardless of the cause of disease was 2810 U/mL (IQR ± 6895). The median CA 19-9 values in men and women were 3500 (IQR ± 10,050) and 2455 (IQR ± 3927), respectively, and differ significantly between the compared groups (p < 0.05). There was no difference between CA 19-9 values and the categorized cause of the increase.

CONCLUSIONS

Conducting differential diagnosis, it should not be forgotten that most international guidelines recommend the use of CA 19-9 only in conjunction with pathology of pancreas in radiological imaging; however, even such a combination can point the diagnostic pathway in the wrong direction. A highly elevated CA 19-9 level, typically associated with PDAC, may be the result of benign disease including AIP related to COVID-19 vaccination.

Enucleation of Biliary Cystadenomas: a Review

BACKGROUND

Biliary cystadenomas are very rare benign tumors which can transform into cystadenocarcinomas. The largest case series reported on 221 cases over 30 years from 10 HPB centers, i.e., about 7 cases per center per decade. The recommended treatment is liver resection. Enucleation of biliary cystadenomas has been done rarely. The purpose of the study was to determine the outcome of enucleation of these cysts, particularly the mortality rate and the recurrence rate.

METHODS

A keyword search was done using OVID followed by a search of the bibliography of papers describing the enucleation of biliary cystadenomas. Of 45 articles obtained, 25 were retained. The main reasons for exclusion were non-English language and review articles.

RESULTS

One hundred three patients in the 25 studies were treated with enucleation. Thirteen studies described prior treatments that had failed with resulting recurrence requiring re-treatment. The main indication for enucleation was large central cysts for which liver resection would be high risk. There were no postoperative deaths in patients treated by enucleation. Thirteen studies provided long-term follow-up in 40 patients, a substantial number given the rarity of the tumor. There were no recurrences or transformations to malignancy.

CONCLUSIONS

Enucleation seems to represent a reasonable treatment technique for BCA, especially when a large cystic lesion is located centrally and/or would require a large liver resection with significant loss of parenchyma.

Microwave ablation of hepatic cyst: A case report

Hepatic cystadenoma is an urgent problem due to the high risk of malignant transformation. There are both radical and minimally invasive methods of treatment. We present a clinical case describing the successful use of microwave ablation (MWA) in a 72-year-old woman with hepatic cystadenoma. The patient was admitted to the clinic with abdominal discomfort, dull pain in the right hypochondrium, and weight loss of 10 kg during the previous year. The patient had a past medical history of liver cyst in segment VII. Ultrasound scanning, computed tomography (CT) of abdominal organs detected an increase in the size of the cyst, heterogeneity of its structure; the contrast enhancement was noted in the cyst wall. We suspected hepatic cystadenoma in segment VII and performed cyst puncture under ultrasound control - the obtained fluid revealed the presence of cylindrical epithelial cells, mucin, and macrophages in large quantities, high telomerase activity, CA 19-9 levels were greater than 1000 U/mL. Surgery was accomplished using the MWA catheter. Biological and cytological examination of the fluid confirmed the presence of signs of liver cystadenoma with a high malignancy risk. On the 2nd day after surgery ultrasound imaging of the abdomen revealed the residual cavity of 2 × 1 cm in segment VII. The patient was discharged with recommendations to conduct ultrasound examinations every six months. The control CT scan in 2020 showed no focal or cystic formations in the liver. In what way, MWA under control of ultrasound is a promising method of biliary cystadenoma treatment with high malignancy risk.

Mucin-producing hepatic cystic neoplasms: an uncommon but challenging disease often misdiagnosed and mismanaged

Background: Mucin-producing hepatic cystic neoplasms (MHCN) are uncommon and potentially malignant.Methods: Nine MHCN were encountered in our centre for over 32 years. Patients' clinical, biological, radiological and pathological features were reviewed. Lesions were classified into Mucinous Cystic Neoplasms (MCN) and Intraductal Papillary Neoplasms of the Bile duct (IPNB) (WHO 2010 classification).Results: Five MCN and 4 IPNB were reviewed. Serum and intracystic tumour markers were insufficient to diagnose malignancy. Complications were encountered in five out of nine patients (56%), mean symptom duration was 26 months (range: 1-132). Three patients were mismanaged pre-referral. Radiological features enabled preoperative diagnosis in eight out of nine patients (89%). Greater tumour size, unilocular lesion and mural nodularity indicated malignancy. Radical tumour excision was achieved in eight patients. One IPNB patient was misdiagnosed and underwent unroofing. For 103 months median follow-up, five out of six patients with benign tumours were alive and disease-free, whereas the misdiagnosed IPNB recurred with fatal malignant transformation seven years later. Among the three patients with malignancies (median follow-up: 77 months), two IPNB died, one from cancer recurrence and one from unrelated causes, whereas the malignant MCN was alive and disease-free.Conclusions: Appropriate MHCN diagnosis is crucial, yet it is often misdiagnosed and mismanaged. The prognosis after complete excision is favourable.

Misdiagnosis of Intrahepatic Biliary Cystadenoma Located in the Caudate Lobe: A Case Report

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic Biliary Cystadenoma (IBC) is rare but has a high incidence of misdiagnosis, especially for experienceless surgeons.

CASE

We report a case of IBC located in the caudate lobe and described a typical procedure of misdiagnosing this disease. Finally, the patient was successfully cured, but the procedure of misdiagnosis should attract attention. IBC and atypical biopsy for histological examination are the most important causes of misdiagnosis. Recurrent cystic lesions of the liver and repeated increases in CA 19-9 may suggest a "liver cyst", which is a misdiagnosis.

CONCLUSION

The experience and lessons of misdiagnosis, in this case, may help other clinicians diagnose the rare disease accurately.

Diagnosis and treatment of intrahepatic biliary cystadenoma: experience with 14 cases in a single center

Intrahepatic biliary cystadenoma (IHBCA) is a rare type of liver tumor. There are no specific diagnostic methods for IHBCA, so its preoperative diagnostic rate is still fairly low. The aims of this study were to evaluate the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of IHBCA. We retrospectively analyzed data from 14 patients treated in our hospital from January 2004 to April 2014. Eleven patients (78.6 %) were female, and the average age was 48.0 years (range 16-77 years). The most common clinical symptoms were abdominal discomfort (i.e., abdominal pain), reported in seven cases (50 %), and fullness after eating, reported in two cases (14.3 %). Jaundice was a less common symptom reported in one case (7.1 %). Four patients (28.6 %) were asymptomatic. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan showed multilocular or internal septations in 11 cases (78.6 %) and papillary projections or mural nodules on the cyst wall in one case (7.1 %). After injection of a contrast agent, the cyst walls or septations were slightly enhanced in nine cases (64.3 %). All 14 patients underwent surgical resection. Only one case showed recurrence (2 years postoperatively); the remaining 13 patients were recurrence-free. Intrahepatic biliary cystadenoma often occurs in middle-aged women. The main clinical symptoms are abdominal fullness with a sense of pain and jaundice. Enhanced CT is the main preoperative diagnostic method. Radical resection is the best treatment for IHBCA and can effectively prevent recurrence.

Intrahepatic biliary cystadenoma and cystadenocarcinoma: an experience of 30 cases

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Intrahepatic biliary cystadenoma and biliary cystadenocarcinoma are extremely rare neoplasms of the liver. They share similar radiological characteristics, and the clinicopathological features are poorly defined. We aim to provide an algorithm for preoperative differentiation of the two diseases.

METHODS

Patients who underwent liver resection between May 2001 and May 2011 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital with biliary cystadenoma (20 cases) and biliary cystadenocarcinoma (10 cases) were reviewed.

RESULTS

Significant differences were shown in age (P=0.030), gender (P=0.002) and symptom duration (P=0.012). Most biliary cystadenomas occurred in women ≤60 years old (85%), whilst most biliary cystadenocarcinomas occurred in older males (50%). Shorter symptom duration indicated a higher risk of biliary cystadenocarcinoma. Arterial blood flow and wall/nodule enhancement tended to be more common in biliary cystadenocarcinoma, but the difference was not significant (P=0.348). A score system was developed. The case-by-case validation and leave-one-out cross-validation showed an accuracy of 95.5% and 90.9%, respectively. The discriminative accuracy for cases from another hospital during the same period was 90.9%.

CONCLUSIONS

Older age, male gender, and shorter symptom duration are associated with higher possibility of biliary cystadenocarcinoma. Location and blood supply by radiology might be instrumental but still need further verification.

Differential diagnosis for intrahepatic biliary cystadenoma and hepatic simple cyst: significance of cystic fluid analysis and radiologic findings

GOALS

This study evaluated the significance of cystic fluid analysis and radiologic findings in the differential diagnosis of biliary cystadenomas (BCA) and hepatic simple cysts (HSCs).

BACKGROUND

BCA are premalignant lesions. The treatment of choice is surgical excision. It is important to differentiate BCA from HSCs because they have different clinical significances and treatment plans. However, it is difficult to preoperatively differentiate a BCA from a HSC.

STUDY

This retrospective study was done with 31 patients suffering from pathologically diagnosed BCA or HSC. All patients underwent surgery between May 1995 and June 2008 at a single institution and had cystic fluid analysis preoperatively or intraoperatively.

RESULTS

We discovered no statistically significant differences in cystic fluid carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) levels or carcinoembryonic antigen levels when comparing BCA (n=17) and HSCs (n=14). BCA were significantly more frequently associated with female sex (17/17 vs. 10/14, P=0.032), presence of a septum (16/17 vs.5/14, P=0.001), and septal thickening (8/17 vs. 1/14, P=0.021). All 3 cases with calcifications belonged to the BCA group, but sample size was too small to demonstrate statistical significance. There were no statistically significant differences in other clinical and radiologic findings including age, presence of symptoms, serum tumor markers, serum chemistry, size, location, lobulation, septal enhancement, wall enhancement, wall thickening, mural nodule, or biliary dilatation.

CONCLUSIONS

Cystic fluid carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels and carcinoembryonic antigen levels were not useful for differential diagnosis of BCA vs. HSC. BCA were more common than HSCs in females, patients with a septum, and patients with septal thickening.

Giant Biliary Cystadenoma: Case Report and Literature Review

Biliary cystadenoma is a very rare cystic neoplasm of the liver. This tumor is insidiously progressive and usually presents in white females in their fifth decade. It has a characteristic appearance on ultrasound, computed tomography, and angiography. The exact etiology of these tumors is unknown, but several theories have been proposed. Historically these cystic tumors have been treated by a variety of techniques including aspiration, fenestration, internal drainage, and resection. Previously reported series have confirmed a >90 percent recurrence rate with anything less than complete excision. In addition biliary cystadenoma is a premalignant lesion and only surgical excision can differentiate it from its malignant counterpart, biliary cystadeno-carcinoma.