Primary intrahepatic biliary cystadenomatous tumors.
BACKGROUND
Biliary cystadenoma and cystadenocarcinoma are rare tumors. The clinical features of, and optimal surgical management for these lesions have not been defined clearly. In this report, we describe three cases of cystadenomatous tumors of the biliary tract: two of a cystadenoma and one of a cystadenocarcinoma. The differential diagnosis of the cystic tumors of the liver in countries with a high prevalence of liver hydatid disease is very important.


METHODS
The authors report their institution's experience from 1988 to 1995 in treating two cystadenomas and one cystadenocarcinoma and review previously reported cases in the literature.


RESULTS
Clinical presentation is usually mild and atypical. During operation, the mass was resected en bloc with a margin of normal liver tissue in the cases of cystadenomas and, in the case of cystadenocarcinoma, a left hepatectomy with drainage of the common bile duct was performed. The two patients with adenomas remain well at 1 and 7 years after operation and our patient with adenocarcinoma is free of disease 8 years later.


CONCLUSIONS
The treatment of choice is radical excision of the mass, either with a wide margin of normal liver or by means of a typical lobectomy, depending on the size and location of the lesion. When the lesion can be removed completely, the prognosis is excellent.
Tsiftsis
D
D
Department of Surgical Oncology, University of Crete Medical School, Herakleion, Greece.
Christodoulakis
M
M
de Bree
E
E
Sanidas
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D003536:Cystadenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003537:Cystadenoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged