A Case of Carcinosarcoma of the Gallbladder

Tsutomu Tohsha, Hidehiko Endoh, Takehiko Satoh, Yoshiyuki Yashima, Takashi Satoh*

Department of Surgery, Iwate Prefectural Kamaishi Hospital
*Department of Pathology 2, Iwate Medical University, School of Medicine

We report a case of carcinosarcoma of the gallbladder. A 72-year-old man was admitted with a complaint of right upper quadrant pain. Ultrasonography revealed a tumor in the gallbladder. We diagnosed carcinoma of the gallbladder and performed extended cholecystectomy. Histologically, the tumor consisted of adenocarcinoma and chondrosarcoma. There is a transitional zone between the spindle cells and adenocarcinoma. Not only microscopic findings but immunohistochemical findings are useful to distinguish between true carcinosarcoma and so-called carcinosarcoma and we diagnosed this case as carcinosarcoma with chondrosarcoma. It is extremely rare and only about 50 cases have been reported in Japan. There are constant disputes about the general concept of carcinosarcoma.

Key words
carcinosarcoma of gallbladder, chondrosarcoma

Reprint requests
Tsutomu Tohsha Department of Surgery, Iwate Prefectural Kamaishi Hospital
10-483-6 Kasshi-chou, Kamaishi-shi, 026-0055 JAPAN

Accepted
November 5, 1997

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