Malignant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor of the Gallbladder

• Published in: Journal of Korean medical science 2004, 19(5), , pp.763-767
• Main Authors: Park Jong Kyung, Choi Seung Hye, Lee Seong, Min Ki Ouk, Yun Sang Seob, Jeon Hae Myung
• Format: Article
• Language: Korean
• Subjects: 의학일반
• ISSN: 1011-8934; 1598-6357

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) of the gallbladder are representative of an extremely rare group of tumors. We have encountered a patient with a malignant GIST of the gallbladder and presented it with a review of some articles. A 72-yr-old woman initially presented with right upper quadrant abdominal pain, fever and chills. Emergency cholecystectomy was performed under the impression of gallbladder empyema. Liver metastasis was found at 7 months postoperatively and the patient expired 9 months after the surgery. At the time of cholecystectomy, the gallbladder show-ed a necrotic serosal surface with an irregular thickened wall. A mass, 6 cm in length and 3 cm in width, encircled the whole wall of the neck and upper body of the gall-bladder. Microscopic findings revealed frequent mitotic figures (more than 20/50 HPF) and tumor necrosis. Hyperchromatic, pleomorphic and spindle shaped neo-plastic cells that were arranged in a pattern of short fascicles infiltrated the entire layer of the gallbladder. The tumor cells were immunoreactive for CD117 antigen (c-kit protein) and vimentin. They were negative for desmin, smooth muscle actin and S-100 protein. Mutations of the c-kit proto-oncogene were not found in this case. These findings were sufficient to provide enough clinical, histopathological and im-munohistochemical evidence in diagnosing our case as a malignant GIST. KCI Citation Count: 23