Primary hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma coexisting with distal cholangiocarcinoma: A case report and review of the literature

• Published in: Medicine (Baltimore) Vol. 99; no. 26; p. e20854
• Main Authors: Xin, Qi, Lv, Rong, Lou, Cheng, Ma, Zhe, Liu, Gui-Qiu, Zhang, Qin, Yu, Hai-Bo, Zhang, Chuan-Shan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wolters Kluwer Health 26.06.2020
• Subjects: Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine - pathology; CD56 Antigen - analysis; CD56 Antigen - blood; Cholangiocarcinoma - diagnosis; Cholangiocarcinoma - pathology; Chromogranin A - analysis; Chromogranin A - blood; Clinical Case Report; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry - methods; Liver - abnormalities; Liver - pathology; Liver - physiopathology; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Synaptophysin - analysis; Synaptophysin - blood; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods
• ISSN: 0025-7974; 1536-5964
• DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000020854

Although primary hepatic neuroendocrine carcinomas, whose prognostic mechanisms remain unclear, are rare, coexistence of neuroendocrine carcinomas and other tumors is rarer. In this report, we describe a unique case of coexistence between primary hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma and a distal cholangiocarcinoma in the pancreas. A 64-year-old woman with a history of diabetes, but none of hepatitis, was admitted to hospital because of intermittent epigastric distension and pain discomfort for more than 1 month aggravated 1 day. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan of the upper abdomen and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a thickening of the bile duct wall in the middle and lower segment of common bile duct and the corresponding lumen is narrow and low-density tumors with ring enhancement (1.83 cm × 1.9 cm) in lobi hepatis dexte. Primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the liver was diagnosed to be coexisting with a distal cholangiocarcinoma, which had invaded the pancreas. Immunohistochemical examination revealed that the neoplastic cells strongly expressed chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and CD56 proteins. The tumor cells did not express HepPar-1, glypican-3, S-100, CK7, and CK19 in the liver tumor. A distal bile duct in pancreatic tissues shows the characteristics of typical bile duct carcinoma, as an invasion of carcinoma is also seen in the pancreatic tissues. Gastrointestinal endoscopy, chest and abdominal CT, abdominal MRI, and positron emission tomography (PET)-CT were used to exclude metastatic neuroendocrine tumors of the liver. Resection of the pancreas-duodenum, the right anterior lobe of the liver, and regional lymph nodes was performed in patients. The patient had survived for 5 months after the operation. A unique case of a coexistence of primary hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma and a distal cholangiocarcinoma, which had invaded the pancreas. No treatment guidelines are established for the treatment of the unique case.