Neuroendocrine tumor of the gallbladder

Arch Iran Med. 2013 Feb;16(2):123-5.

Abstract

Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) arise from neuroendocrine cells and are an exceedingly rare malignancy in the gallbladder. In this case report, a 52-year-old woman with complaints of episodic abdominal pain for two months prior was admitted to our hospital. She had no other signs and symptoms and her laboratory tests were within normal limits. Ultrasonography showed a broad-necked mass (26 × 12 mm) in the gallbladder for which she underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The final pathological diagnosis was a high grade neuroendocrine carcinoma of the gallbladder with involvement of the lymph nodes and omentum. The patient received the chemotherapy regimens of gemcitabine plus cisplatin, followed by docetaxel plus sunitinib for her metastatic liver lesions. She also underwent radiofrequency ablation. Serial CT-scans revealed metastatic liver lesions that had decreased in size, with no significant improvement. The patient refused additional treatment and at 46 months, she was doing well with no complaints of any pain, disease recurrence, or metastatic progression.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / diagnosis*
  • Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / pathology
  • Catheter Ablation
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage
  • Cisplatin / therapeutic use
  • Deoxycytidine / administration & dosage
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives
  • Deoxycytidine / therapeutic use
  • Docetaxel
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Gallbladder / diagnostic imaging
  • Gallbladder / pathology
  • Gallbladder Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Gallbladder Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Gallbladder Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Gallbladder Neoplasms / pathology
  • Gemcitabine
  • Humans
  • Indoles / administration & dosage
  • Indoles / therapeutic use
  • Middle Aged
  • Pyrroles / administration & dosage
  • Pyrroles / therapeutic use
  • Sunitinib
  • Taxoids / administration & dosage
  • Taxoids / therapeutic use
  • Ultrasonography

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Indoles
  • Pyrroles
  • Taxoids
  • Deoxycytidine
  • Docetaxel
  • Cisplatin
  • Sunitinib
  • Gemcitabine