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Case Report
Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026.
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Oct 15, 2026; 18(10): 123534
Published online Oct 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.123534
Table 2 Reported synchronous or metachronous pancreatic and gallbladder epithelial tumors
Ref.
Sex/age
Pancreatic lesion
Gallbladder lesion
Timing
Molecular/genetic evidence
Possible mechanism or key finding
Ueda et al[14]Male/58Papillary adenocarcinomaPapillary adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder and CBDSynchronousNot mentionedAssociated with anomalous arrangement of the pancreaticobiliary ductal system; gallbladder, CBD, and pancreatic duct tumors were not continuous
Sato et al[15]Male/74Mucinous cystadenocarcinomaWell-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder; poorly differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma of CBDSynchronousp53-positive nuclei were detected only in the pancreatic tumorTriple synchronous tumors with different histopathology; findings suggested different oncogenic mechanisms rather than a single DNA-repair abnormality
Minami et al[16]Female/50Moderately differentiated ductal adenocarcinomaModerately differentiated tubular adenocarcinomaMetachronous; pancreatic cancer 10 years after cholecystectomyNot mentionedAssociated with PBM without bile duct dilatation; emphasized long-term surveillance of the pancreas and biliary tract after biliary diversion
Lahmar et al[17]Female/68Adenosquamous carcinomaModerately differentiated adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder invading CBDMetachronous; pancreatic cancer 4 years after cholecystectomyNot mentionedAssociated with PBM and cystic dilatation of the CBD; pancreatobiliary or biliopancreatic reflux was proposed as a carcinogenic mechanism
Chen et al[18]Female/56Ductal adenocarcinomaWell-differentiated adenocarcinomaMetachronous; pancreatic cancer 3 years after cholecystectomyNot mentionedNo recurrence after 33 months of follow-up after pancreaticoduodenectomy; mechanism not specified
Rungsakulkij and Boonsakan[19]Female/46Well-differentiated ductal adenocarcinomaWell-differentiated adenocarcinomaSynchronousNot mentionedAssociated with PBM and pancreaticobiliary reflux; authors emphasized the possibility of double primary cancer in PBM
Mori et al[20]Female/72Moderately differentiated ductal adenocarcinomaWell-differentiated tubular adenocarcinomaSynchronousNot mentionedAssociated with congenital biliary dilatation and PBM; reported as an extremely rare synchronous primary gallbladder-pancreatic cancer case in this setting
Ikeda et al[21]Female/71IPMN with invasive carcinomaGallbladder cancer arising in polypoid lesions; histological not specifiedMetachronous; pancreatic cancer 5 years after cholecystectomyIHC: Pancreatic tumor MUC1+, MUC5AC+, MUC2-Associated with non-dilated PBM; supports surveillance for pancreatic as well as biliary tract cancer in PBM
Kuhara et al[22]Female/65First well-differentiated adenocarcinoma in pancreatic head; later moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma in remnant pancreasAdvanced papillary adenocarcinomaMetachronous; pancreatic cancers 6.2 and 12.5 years after cholecystectomyNot mentionedAssociated with PBM; bile pigment and marked inflammation in non-cancerous pancreatic ducts supported chronic inflammation and reflux-related carcinogenesis
Sato et al[23]Male/72IPMNAdenocarcinomaSynchronousIHC: MUC6-positive pyloric gland metaplasia in both the dilated pancreatic duct and gallbladder background mucosaAssociated with PBM; authors suggested a possible common phenotypic origin and recommended comprehensive pancreaticobiliary evaluation
Kato et al[24]Female/77ITPN with invasive carcinomaPapillary adenocarcinomaMetachronous; pancreatic cancer 2 years after cholecystectomyIHC: MUC1 focal weak+, MUC2-, MUC5AC-Associated with PBM; supports careful long-term follow-up after diversion surgery because pancreatic or biliary cancers may still occur
Kogure et al[25]Female/in her 80sAdenosquamous carcinomaCarcinoma; histological not specifiedSynchronousNot mentionedAssociated with PBM; co-occurrence of pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma was described as extremely rare
Miyazawa et al[26]Male/63AdenocarcinomaGallbladder cancer; histological not specifiedMetachronous; pancreatic cancer 5 years after cholecystectomyNot mentionedPBM was diagnosed after cholecystectomy; progressive pancreatic changes suggested biliopancreatic reflux-related pancreatic carcinogenesis
Present caseFemale/30ITPN with multifocal invasive carcinomaICPN with high-grade dysplasiaSynchronousNo pathogenic variant identified by germline WES; somatic sequencing was not performedNo PBM was evident on available imaging; synchronous gallbladder ICPN and pancreatic ITPN suggest a possible field effect or shared epithelial susceptibility


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