Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Gallbladder: A Case Report

Vesicular squamous cell carcinoma is a very rare tumor, the extent of tumor spread at the time of diagnosis is usually advanced, and the prognosis is poor in this type of gallbladder cancer.

We report a case of an 81-year-old patient, a diagnosed case of gallbladder cancer complicated with grade 2 angiocholitis. Abdominal CT scan showed a very distended gallbladder with tissue infiltration at its neck extending to the hilar plate and segment V of the liver and causing dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts, encircling the right hepatic artery which was reduced in caliber but patent, involved less than 180° contact with the portal vein without deformation of its wall or endoluminal budging, and closely approached the IVC which was laminated but patent. The patient underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which revealed biliary ducts dilation upstream of a 2 cm stenosis of the common hepatic duct. Papillotomy with biliary drainage was performed using an uncovered metal stent, with purulent bile sampled. The liver lesion biopsy showed a poorly differentiated carcinoma with immunohistochemical profile suggestive of squamous cell carcinoma (positive for anti-CK7, anti-CK20, and anti-P40 antibodies). Thoraco-abdomino-pelvic CT scan did not show any secondary localization other than the hepatic involvement, staging the tumor as T3N0M0 according to TNM classification.

The patient received palliative chemotherapy with Gemcitabine and Cisplatin but unfortunately passed away after 8 cycles due to rapid deterioration of general condition.

Publication History

Article published online:
27 March 2025