Exceptional long-term survivor (12 years) with metastatic gallbladder cancer

Franco Sacchetti,Fabio M Vecchio,Felice Giuliante,Francesco Ardito

doi:10.15761/gos.1000213

Abstract

Exceptional long-term survivor (12 years) with metastatic gallbladder cancer

Highlights

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is a rare aggressive cancer disease with poor prognosis
In patients with unresectable GBC the prognosis is dismal and palliative support is given in order to control morbidity resulting from biliary obstruction, pain, cachexia and infections
We present a rare case of exceptional long-term survival (12 years) in a 78-year-old female patient presenting with an asymptomatic metastatic GBC

Summary

Introduction

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is a rare aggressive cancer disease with poor prognosis. The clinical pessimism which surrounds this tumour is due to its late presentation and its lack of effective therapy. The patient underwent Positron Emission Tomography-CT (PET-CT) examination with 18fludeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) which documented, in the portal and late phases, discrete metabolic activity (SUV-max = 5.6) at the level of the thickened wall of the gallbladder fundus. The patient underwent regular radiological follow-up with PET-CT examination with 18F-FDG every year for 10 years, without evidence of disease activity at the local or metastatic level. In relation to the very long patient’s oncologic history (12 years after GBC diagnosis and 10 years of persistent metabolic response of the metastatic tumour), in relation to the onset of clinical symptomatology due to the presence of a stone in the gallbladder and in relation to the good clinical conditions of the patient, surgical resection was planned. Postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged in good general conditions on postoperative day 5

Discussion

Findings

Conclusion