K. Tanaka et al., BILIARY-TRACT CANCER ACCOMPANIED BY ANOMALOUS JUNCTION OF PANCREATICOBILIARY DUCTAL SYSTEM IN ADULTS, The American journal of surgery, 175(3), 1998, pp. 218-220
BACKGROUND: Anomalous junction of the pancreaticobiliary ductal system
(AJPBDS) is a congenital anomaly in which the junction is located out
side the duodenal wall. Recently, attention has been focused on the hi
gh incidence of malignancy in this anomaly. The purpose of this study
was to clarify the clinicopathological features of this anomaly and to
determine the appropriate surgical approach for biliary tract cancer
associated with AJPBDS. METHODS: The data for 38 patients with AJPBDS,
including 14 who had been treated for biliary tract cancer (2 with bi
le duct cancer and 12 with gallbladder cancer), were retrospectively r
eviewed. We assessed the clinical features, characteristics of the tum
or, operative procedure, and outcome for each patient. RESULTS: The in
cidence of malignancy in AJPBDS was 17.8% (2 patients with bile duct c
ancer and 3 with gallbladder cancer) in the bile duct dilatation group
(n = 28) and 90% (9 patients with gallbladder cancer) in the no-dilat
ation group (n = 10). The mean length of the common channel was 24.7 m
m (range 20 to 35 mm). Resection with lymphadenectomy was performed in
9 (64.3%) of 14 patients, and curative resection in 5 of these 9 pati
ents. Ten (71%) of the 14 patients had lymph node involvement noted ei
ther at the time of initial diagnosis or at surgery. The incidence of
lymph node metastasis was closely related to the depth of tumor involv
ement. Ten patients died of recurrence or primary cancer, from 3 to 30
months after operation. Four patients are still alive without recurre
nt disease from 2.5 to 13 years after operation. CONCLUSION: For patie
nts with AJPBDS without bile duct dilatation, prophylactic cholecystec
tomy is recommended even if no malignant lesion is found in the gallbl
adder because of the high incidence of gallbladder cancer and the poor
prognosis. Both early detection and curative resection of the tumor a
re essential for successful treatment of biliary tract cancer. (C) 199
8 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.