Korean Journal of Medicine  2004;66(2):209-213

A case of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of gallbladder presenting with pyogenic liver abscess.

Myung Jin KANG 1 ; Kyung Young NAMGUNG ; Hong Mok IM ; Byung Sung KO ; Hyun Taek AHN ; Jong Riul LEE ; Jong Ok KIM

Affiliations

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Keywords

Liver Abscess; Gallbladder Neoplasms; Carcinoma; Neuroendocrine

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Pyogenic liver abscess is a rare but highly lethal disease. The diagnosis and treatment of pyogenic liver abscess has been evolving owing to specific antibiotic therapy, ultrasonography, abdominal computed tomography with improved percutaneous and operative techniques. However, pyogenic liver abscess may present as a rapidly fatal outcome. These unfavorable results are mainly attributed to the increasing numbers of patients with malignant disease and biliary tract disease. Carcinoma of the gallbladder has remained an uniformly fatal neoplasm characterized by early metastasis and rapid fatal course. In early stage, the symptom is nonspecific and often mimics benign biliary tract disease. We experienced a case of the gallbladder carcinoma presenting with pyogenic liver abscess in a 78-year-old female patient. Surgical drainage and cholecystectomy were done. The microscopic finding of resected gallbladder revealed large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of gallbladder.