A case of neuroendocrine small cell carcinoma of the common bile duct

Abstract A 75-year-old woman admitted for jaundice was found to have a tumor occupying the lumen of the middle bile duct on diagnostic imaging. Treatment with endoscopic retrograde bile drainage (ERBD) improved the jaundice. Bile cytology was defined as class III. We diagnosed the condition as middle bile duct cancer with a replaced right hepatic artery, and therefore, curative resection was possible. Pancreatoduodenectomy was performed and the replaced right hepatic artery was resected. Histological examination using hematoxylin and eosin( HE) staining and immunological staining with chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and CD56 revealed small cell carcinoma. Small cell carcinoma of the bile duct is a highly malignant disease. Fortunately, it is rare and only 22 cases have been reported in the Japanese literature.