Case of mucinous adenocarcinoma with porcelain gallbladder

Histologically, the majority of gallbladder cancers are adenocarcinomas. Among the adenocarcinomas, the mucinous adenocarcinoma is relatively uncommon. Porcelain gallbladder is a rare finding and the risk of gallbladder cancer is significantly increased in porcelain gallbladder. We describe a rare case of mucinous adenocarcinoma with porcelain gallbladder. A 46-year-old man was admitted to Chonnam National University Hospital with a 2-week history of right upper quadrant pain. Three and 2 years previously, he had two episodes of cholecystitis with gallstones. An abdominal computed tomography revealed a contracted gallbladder with circumferential mural calcification, and the possibility of gallbladder cancer and porcelain gallbladder were considered. At laparotomy, cholecystectomy, liver wedge resection, and radical lymph node dissection were performed. The resected gallbladder showed thickened wall, luminal narrowing and mucosal irregularity. A histological examination of the resected gallbladder showed a mucinous adenocarcinoma composed of poorly differentiated glandular cells with mucin lakes. Porcelain gallbladder may be an end result of a chronic inflammatory reaction, and this change is associated with the development of gallbladder cancer. (C) 2003 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.