An EBV+ lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma in a young woman with chronic hepatitis B

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is implicated in the tumorigenesis of a variety of malignancies, including Burkitt's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). EBV+ lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma (LELCC) is a rare type of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with a distinct pathology and poorly understood treatment options. Morphologically, this neoplasm resembles undifferentiated NPC, a commonly EBV+ tumour with a prominent lymphoid infiltrate. Almost all of the current literature regarding LELCC describes early stage tumours that are treated surgically and achieve good outcomes. In contrast, this report documents a late stage LELCC treated unsuccessfully with systemic chemotherapy.