Published online Apr 27, 2014. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v6.i4.65
Revised: January 15, 2014
Accepted: March 17, 2014
Published online: April 27, 2014
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (ICC) are malignant tumors arising from the intrahepatic bile ducts that frequently recur after resection. The main sites of recurrence are the remnant liver, lymph nodes and lungs. Metastasis to the pancreas has never been reported. This case describes a 24-year-old woman who underwent a hepatic lobectomy in 2008 for an ICC. Almost 4 years after her surgery she presented with a pancreatic mass and lung nodules. An endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration of the pancreatic mass and a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery resection for the lung nodules were performed for diagnostic purposes. Pathological analyses of specimens revealed recurrence of her primary ICC in both pancreas and lungs. Subsequently, the patient received systemic chemotherapy. The patient is currently off chemotherapy and remains well. Moreover, she is pregnant. This is the first report of an ICC with pancreatic metastasis.
Core tip: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is characterized by its high potential to metastasize. Most frequent sites for metastases are the remnant liver, lymph nodes and lungs. Metastasis to the pancreas has never been described. Although this may happen exceedingly rarely, hepatobiliary surgeons should be made aware that ICC can also metastasize to the pancreas.