Two Resected Cases of Biliary Cystadenocarcinoma of the Liver

Kazuyuki Matsushita, Munemasa Ryu, Tomoaki Sano, Kazuo Watanabe, Masahiro Fujita, Ichirou Honda, Kaoru Sakamoto, Satoshi Watanabe, Yoshihiro Kawakami, Masahiro Yoshida, Touichi Kawabe, Katsunori Wada*, Teisuke Komatsu*

Department of Gastroenterological Surgery and Department of Pathology*, Chiba Cancer Center

Two cases of biliary cystadenocarcinoma, one from cystadenoma of the liver and the other from a simple cyst of the liver, are reported. Case 1: A 49-year-old male suffering from sudden-onset upper abdominal pain was admitted to our hospital. Further examination revealed a liver cyst in the left lobe with a papillary-growing tumor. Left lobectomy was performed and showed that the tumor had originated from a cystadenoma of the liver. Case 2: A 73-year-old female was followed up for a simple cyst of the liver in the left lobe for five years. Finally we detected a tumor in the cyst. She underwent left lobectomy and pathological findings indicated that the tumor originated from the simple cyst of the liver. A review of 106 Japanese cases of biliary cystadenocarcinoma of the liver revealed that 27 were from a simple cyst, 18 were from a cystadenoma and 24 occurred as biliary cystadenocarcinoma. We found only four cases in which a simple cyst of the liver was followed up until biliary cystadenocarcinoma finally developed as in case 2. Therefore even for a simple cyst of the liver, it is important to remember the possibility of cancer growing, and following up the cyst carefully is necessary.

Key words
biliary cystadenocarcinoma, cystadenoma of the liver, simple cyst of the liver

Reprint requests
Kazuyuki Matsushita Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Chiba Cancer Center
666-2 Nitona-chou, Chiba, 280 JAPAN

Accepted
February 13, 1991

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