A Case of Distal Common Bile Duct Obstruction Due to a Neuroendocrine Tumor

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are a rare subset of malignancies in the biliary tract that may have an aggressive and initially asymptomatic course. A 93-year-old female presented with four days of abdominal pain with associated nausea, jaundice, and brown-colored urine. A CT scan revealed a soft-tiss...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2024-01, Vol.16 (1), p.e52729
Main Authors: Rayes, Ramsey, Partovi, Omeed, Strohbeen, Stephanie, Bureau, Britta L, Giorgadze, Tamara, Mostafa, Mohamed, Asmi, Nisar
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Bile ducts
Biopsy
Cardiovascular disease
Case reports
Cholangiocarcinoma
Emergency medical care
Endocrine system
Endoscopy
Genetic counseling
Internal Medicine
Medical imaging
Medical prognosis
Neuroendocrine tumors
Oncology
Pathology
Phosphatase
Stains & staining
Thymus gland
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Summary:Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are a rare subset of malignancies in the biliary tract that may have an aggressive and initially asymptomatic course. A 93-year-old female presented with four days of abdominal pain with associated nausea, jaundice, and brown-colored urine. A CT scan revealed a soft-tissue lesion measuring 1.9 x 1.5 x 1.9 cm within the distal-most aspect of the common bile duct and papilla with marked bile duct dilatation, pancreatic duct dilatation, and multiple hepatic lesions of varying sizes. The biliary stricture was palliated with a stent via endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Biopsies taken from the biliary mass were consistent with a well-differentiated NET: World Health Organization, Grade 3. The patient was minimally symptomatic after stenting and was discharged home. She ultimately decided not to pursue further treatment and passed away two months after the initial presentation. Currently, surgical excision is considered the main and only curative treatment for localized NETs, although chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be suitable. Early detection and treatment of these rare NETs in the biliary tree can potentially result in curative treatment.
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.52729