Primary non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma of the gallbladder diagnosed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Primary lymphoma of the gallbladder is an exceedingly rare disease. We experienced an asymptomatic case of primary non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma of the gallbladder in a 55-year-old woman in whom laparoscopic cholecystectomy made a definite diagnosis. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a 4-cm gallbladder tumor with markedly enlarged lymph nodes in the retropancreatic area. Despite the marked involvement of lymph nodes, serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 were not elevated. The discrepancy between the imaging findings and the patient’s mild clinical presentation led us to suspect that the tumor was a lymphoma. We examined serum markers of lymphoma, revealing slight elevations of interleukin (IL)-2 receptor and thymidine kinase. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for a total biopsy was performed successfully, and the results of intraoperative frozen-section examination led us to have a high suspicion of malignant lymphoma. The final diagnosis was large diffuse B-cell lymphoma of the gallbladder with a positive CD20 antibody reaction. The patient received postoperative chemotherapy with R-CHOP (rituximab, 500 mg; cyclophosphamide, 1000 mg; adriamycin, 68 mg; vincristine, 1.9 mg; and prednisone, 80 mg) starting on postoperative day 12. She achieved complete remission and is still in complete remission 3 years and 2 months after the cholecystectomy. In conclusion, gallbladder lymphoma should be added to the differential diagnosis of gallbladder tumors, especially when the imaging findings and clinical presentation are not consistent with typical signs of gallbladder carcinoma, and laparoscopic cholecystectomy is helpful for the confirmation of suspicious cases.     

彩色超声对原发性胆囊癌的诊断价值

目的：探讨原发性胆囊癌的彩色超声图像特征,提高原发性胆囊癌的超声诊断准确率,减少临床的误诊和漏诊。方法回顾性分析了该院2009年以来45例原发性胆囊癌患者的超声图像特征及检查结果,并与手术后的病理结果进行了对照。结果45例胆囊癌中术前彩色超声诊断了35例,准确率77.8%,误诊10例,误诊率22.2%,根据彩色超声图像的特点将原发性胆囊癌分为5型。结论彩色超声为原发性胆囊癌的首选检查方法,对临床诊断和鉴别诊断具有重要价值,但还应与其他检查相结合以提高早期诊断率。     

缺氧诱导因子-1α在胆囊癌侵袭转移中的作用研究

目的 :研究缺氧诱导因子-1α在胆囊癌侵袭转移中的作用,并探讨HIF-1α在判断胆囊癌治疗效果及预测胆囊癌复发转移方面的价值。方法 :采用慢病毒对胆囊癌细胞系(GBC-SD)进行转染,干扰该细胞系中HIF-1α的表达,得到HIF-1α表达不受干扰的胆囊癌细胞系(GBC-SD-NC)和HIF-1α表达受干扰的胆囊癌细胞系GBC-SD-HIF。通过将两组细胞系裸鼠鼠尾静脉注射建立胆囊癌血行转移模型,检测两组细胞在小鼠肺部形成转移瘤的能力。结果 :GBC-SD-NC组裸鼠肺部转移瘤数量、大小都比GBC-SD-HIF组高,GBC-SD-NC组转移瘤的平均数量显著多于GBC-SD-HIF组。结论 :干扰胆囊癌细胞中HIF-1α的表达,可以显著减低胆囊癌细胞系GBC-SD的血行肺转移能力。说明缺氧诱导因子-1α在胆囊癌侵袭转移中存在独立影响。     

Expression of p53 in adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder and bile ducts

Abstract: Point mutation of the p53 tumor suppressor gene appears to be an important event in tumor development and progression, and overexpression of the p53 gene product has been widely studied in a variety of neoplasms. Some point mutations of the p53 gene lead to an increase in half-life in the gene product, which accumulates in the nucleus and can be detected by immunohistochemical means. We studied overexpression of p53 protein in specimens from 12 patients with adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder, two gallbladders with epithelial dysplasia without carcinoma, eight carcinomas of the common bile duct, 13 hilar cholangiocarcinomas, and six peripheral cholangiocarcinomas. The monoclonal antibody Ab-2 (Oncogene Science) was used in conjunction with citrate microwave antigen retrieval. Nuclear staining was scored as positive (graded 1 to 3, depending on number of positive nuclei) or negative. Overexpression of p53 protein was present in 7/12 (58%) gallbladder carcinomas, and was seen more often in moderately or poorly differentiated tumors. Intramucosal carcinoma adjacent to invasive carcinoma was positive in three cases, although fewer cells stained than in the carcinoma. Two cases of low-grade dysplasia not associated with carcinoma were negative. Expression of p53 was not an independent prognostic factor when survival was related to grade and stage of tumor. Three of eight (38%) common bile duct carcinomas and 5/13 (38%) hilar cholangiocarcinomas were positive for p53. Slightly fewer (2/6, 33%) peripheral cholangiocarcinomas were positive. No difference in survival relative to p53 expression was demonstrated.     

Gallbladder ejection fraction and its relationship to sphincter of Oddi dysfunction

Theoretically, relative distal common bile duct obstruction due to sphincter of Oddi dysfunction may be a cause of poor gallbladder evacuation observed on quantitative cholescintigraphy. In this study, the relationship of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction to the gallbladder ejection fraction by quantitative cholescintigraphy was explored. Eighty-one patients with biliary-type pain and otherwise normal evaluations underwent quantitative cholescintigraphy, sphincter of Oddi manometry, and ERCP. Abnormalities of stimulated quantitative cholescintigraphy and/or sphincter of Oddi manometry were present in 70% of this study group. Manometric evidence of sphincter dysfunction was present in patients with similar frequency irrespective of the degree of gallbladder evacuation. In conclusion, abnormalities of quantitative cholescintigraphy and sphincter manometry appear to be independent factors, although frequent findings in this patient population.     

Repeated piezoelectric lithotripsy for gallstones with and without ursodeoxycholic acid dissolution: A multicenter study

The use of bile acid dissolution therapy in extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy of gallstones, remains controversial. Our study examined whether chemolitholysis after sufficient disintegration enhanced stone clearance within 6 months of the first lithotripsy. A total of 143 patients who developed one to three radiolucent stones measuring⪯30 mm in diameter were randomly separated into two treatment groups: 47% were given lithotripsy alone, and 53% lithotripsy plus ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). Repeated piezoelectric lithotripsy was given, with no limit on the total number of treatment sessions, to pulverize or disintegrate stones into fragments<3 mm. Stones were disintegrated in 97% of all patients, and the fragments were ⪯2 mm in 50% of these patients. According to an intention-to-treat analysis, 52% in the lithotripsy alone group and 58% in the UDCA group were free of stones 6 months after the first lithotripsy (P=0.61). Of the patients with fragments⪯2 mm, 71% in the former and 86% in the latter group were free of stones 6 months after the first lithotripsy, with no significant difference between the groups. Biliary pain occurred in 25% of all patients, including 3 with acute cholecystitis. We concluded that the sufficient disintegration of gallstones achieved with repeated lithotripsy enhanced the early clearance of fragments, regardless of whether chemolitholysis was employed.     

Effect of selective and nonselective muscarinic blockade on cholecystokinin-induced gallbladder emptying in man

In this study we investigated the effect of selective (M₁) and non-selective (M₁ and M₂) pharmacologic blockade of muscarinic receptors on cholecystokinin-induced gallbladder emptying. After validating the method of study, the gallbladder function was evaluated in 15 normal volunteers by quantitative biliary scintigraphy, and the effect of intravenous atropine (0.15 mg/10 kg) and pirenzepine (10 mg) was analyzed in each subject. Atropine significantly reduced the ejection period and the ejection fraction of gallbladder evacuation. Pirenzepine reduced the ejection period, but the ejection fraction remained unchanged. We conclude that the effect of cholecystokinin on gallbladder motility is mediated through muscarinic receptors. Our results suggest that M₂ receptors, but not M₁ receptors, are involved in this response.     

Timing of Cholecystectomy in Acute Cholecystitis

Background

Cholecystitis is an inflammation of the gallbladder that most commonly occurs as a result of obstruction of the cystic duct by gallstones. The current standard of treatment for acute cholecystitis is cholecystectomy.