Malignant mixed tumor of the gallbladder

✍ Scribed by W. R. Higgs; Ena E. Mocega; Paul H. Jordan JR.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1973
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 667 KB
• Volume: 32
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(197308)32:2<471::aid-cncr2820320227>3.0.co;2-o

✦ Synopsis

An unusual case of malignant mixed tumor of the gallbladder is reported. Its four microscopi: components-adenocarcinoma, fibrosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and osteoid-are illustrated. Its similarity to malignant mixed tumors of the liver is described. Possible explanations for its origin are presented.

RIMARY BENIGN AND MALIGNANT NEOPLASMS

P of the gallbladder or biliary tract occur infrequently even though malignant neoplasms of the biliary system are the fifth leading cause of death among gastrointestinal t ~m o r s . 4 ~1 0 ~~~~~ Most of these lesions are adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of epithelial origin, and 80 to 90% are associated with calculi in the gallbladder and/ or bile du~ts.9J0.22.24~~5 Other primary malignancies also associated with calculi have included carcinoids, amelanotic melanoma, and undifferentiated carcinomas.9~10,22,24~~5

Mesodermal tumors of the gallbladder or biliary tree occur even less frequently. T h e majority of these tumors are benign; they are located in the gallbladder and are composed .of a single cell type.8 Malignant mesodermal tumors occur less frequently than benign tumors, and their histologic cell type is usually a well differntiated fibrosarcoma, although examples of leiomyosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, spindle cell sarcoma, angiosarcoma, and carcinosarcoma have been reported.gJ8JO+20 Most of these tumors occurred in children, and only the carcinosarcoma appeared to contain tissue from both the endoderm and mesoderm.