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Primary malignant melanoma of the biliary tract
Author(s) -
Washburn W. Kenneth,
Noda Seichi,
Lewis W. David,
Jenkins Roger L.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
liver transplantation and surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.814
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1527-6473
pISSN - 1074-3022
DOI - 10.1002/lt.500010206
Subject(s) - medicine , jaundice , lesion , melanoma , common bile duct , biliary tract , bile duct , disease , surgery , cancer research
Primary malignant melanoma of the biliary tract is an obscure entity, with only four previously reported cases. We report two cases involving the common bile duct. A 43‐year‐old male who underwent a right hepatectomy and excision of the extrahepatic biliary tree for a lesion at the bifurcation of the common bile duct. He remains alive and well 11 months after resection. The second patient is a 45 year old male with obstructive jaundice due to an ampullary lesion. Pancreatico‐duodenectomy was performed with no signs of metastatic disease. He is 6 years following resection without evidence of disease. This is an unusual cause of obstructive jaundice and a definitive search for a possible extra‐biliary primary should be pursued. In appropriately selected patients without evidence of metastatic disease, resection can potentially afford long‐term survival if these lesions are true primary lesions and not metastatic from an undefined primary. However, given the high metastatic potential of melanoma it is unclear whether resection of these lesions results in cure or just effective long‐term palliation Copyright © 1995 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.