Open AccessGall bladder carcinoma presenting with spinal metastasis: A rare phenomenon
Author(s) -
Mohit Joshi,
Richa Joshi,
Manish Chadha,
Shan E Alam,
Hemant Varshneya,
Sunil Kumar
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
indian journal of palliative care/indian journal of palliative care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.395
H-Index - 26
eISSN - 1998-3735
pISSN - 0973-1075
DOI - 10.4103/0973-1075.116711
Subject(s) - medicine , metastasis , occult , malignancy , pathological , carcinoma , gall , radiology , pathology , cancer , botany , alternative medicine , biology
Skeletal metastasis as a primary presentation of gall bladder carcinoma is rare. A 50-year-old lady presented with neck pain and weakness in her right upper limb of 3 months duration. Clinical and imaging work-up suggested locally advanced gall bladder carcinoma with metastasis to cervical vertebra and sternum. Only one case till date has been reported where the patient presented with neurological symptoms due to pathological fracture secondary to metastasis from an occult gall bladder carcinoma. Although rare, an occult gall bladder cancer may present with neurological symptoms due to pathological fracture of spine secondary to metastasis. We present a brief review of literature of patients who presented with skeletal metastases in clinically silent gall bladder malignancy. Palliative care issues in advanced gall bladder carcinoma have also been discussed.