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Mucinous biliary papillomatosis: a tumour in need of wider recognition
Author(s) -
PADFIELD C. J. H.,
ANSELL I. D.,
FURNESS P. N.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
histopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.626
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1365-2559
pISSN - 0309-0167
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2559.1988.tb02099.x
Subject(s) - malignancy , pathology , medicine , papillomatosis , metastasis , basement membrane , stromal cell , cancer
We report three cases of mucinous biliary papillomatosis occurring high in the extra‐hepatic bile ducts. Histological assessment of malignancy is difficult and subjective because there is no unequivocal evidence of stromal invasion. Using anti‐laminin antibodies to assess the basement membranes of these tumours we have found a large number of discontinuities in the epithelial basement membrane. On this basis we consider that mucinous biliary papillomatosis should be considered a low‐grade malignancy. This would correlate with the natural history of these tumours, namely recurrence but with no widespread metastasis, death resulting from liver failure usually with 5–6 years of presentation.