Rapidly aggravated skeletal muscle metastases from an intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Skeletal muscle metastasis from extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A case report and literature review

Background

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a type of malignant tumor that arises from the epithelium of the bile ducts. According to anatomical location, CCA can be classified as intrahepatic (ICC), perihilar (PCC), or extrahepatic (ECC). CCA can invade and metastasize to other tissues in various ways, but distal skeletal muscle metastasis (SMM) is extremely rare. There are several reports on SMM from ICC or PCC, but SMM from ECC has not yet been reported.

Case presentation

A 71-year-old woman was diagnosed with ECC, for which she underwent pancreatoduodenectomy and partial hepatectomy. Nine months after surgery, she was re-admitted to the hospital complaining of a rapidly growing mass on her right thigh with progressive lower extremity edema. Magnetic resonance imaging of the right thigh showed two masses with iso-signal intensity on T1-weighted images and hyper-intensity on T2-weighted images compared with the surrounding muscles. Pathological examination of the fine-needle biopsy specimen revealed that it was similar to the previously detected ECC, and the diagnosis was metastasis of ECC. The patient was treated with opioid analgesics and died of systemic failure three months later.

Conclusion

SMM should be considered during the follow-up period despite its low incidence, and perineural invasion may be an essential pathway of distant metastasis in CCA.

Pathological Clavicle Fracture: Initial Presentation of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common tumor of the liver and accounts for 3% of all gastrointestinal tumors. Bone metastasis due to ICC is extremely rare. In this case report, a patient with pathological clavicle fracture as the first presentation of ICC was reported. A lytic mass causing a fracture in the middle part of the left clavicle was detected in a 75-year-old female patient who had sudden and severe pain in her left shoulder while getting up from her seat. Blood tests were normal except gamma-glutamyl transferase 575 U/L (0-38 U/L), alkaline phosphatase 259 U/L (0-105 U/L), direct bilirubin 5.1 mg/dl (0-0.2 mg/dl) and carcinoembryonic antigen 5.1 ng/ml (0-5 ng/ml). Positron emission tomography (PET-CT) revealed a mass in the liver and metastasis to the proximal femur and peritonei carcinomatosis. Pathological clavicle fracture was treated surgically and liver biopsy was performed by an interventional radiologist in the same session. The pathology result was reported as ICC. During the follow-up of the patient, a pathological proximal femur fracture also occurred. This fracture was also treated with total tumor hip replacement. Metastasis of ICC to the bone is extremely rare and should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis in patients presenting with pathological bone fracture and liver mass.

Bone metastasis from cholangiocarcinoma mimicking osteosarcoma: A case report and review literature

Cholangiocarcinoma is an aggressive tumor of the hepatic biliary system and it commonly spreads to the regional lymph nodes, liver and lungs. However, bone metastasis from cholangiocarcinoma is rare compared with other tumors. We herein present the case of a 61-year-old Asian woman who presented with pain in the right scapular area. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed bone destruction and an adjacent soft tissue mass at the right scapula. The findings on computed tomography imaging were compatible with cholangiocarcinoma. Bone biopsy was performed and the diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma with bone metastasis was confirmed. The survival time was 10 months, despite administration of palliative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Therefore, bone metastasis from cholangiocarcinoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients who present with an osteolytic bone lesion and a liver mass.