J Korean Surg Soc.  1999 Jul;57(1):149-156.

Alpha-Fetoprotein-Producing Carcinoma of the Gallbladder: A case report

• Heo SC
• Her KH
• Kim SW
• Kim H
• Kim WH
• Park YH

Abstract

We experienced a case of a gallbladder carcinoma detected incidentally by elevated serum alpha- fetoprotein. The patient had a symptom of mild intermittent indigestion, and a routine medical examination revealed elevation of serum alpha-fetoprotein. A mass, 4 cm 3 cm, was located in the gallbladder and it had not infiltrated the liver. The serum level of alpha-fetoprotein decreased after a cholecystectomy. The gallbladder mass was an adenocarcinoma of hepatoid differentiation. Cytoplasms of the tumor cells had positive reactivity to immunohistochemical staining of alpha-fetoprotein. In the course of postoperative follow up, the serum alpha-fetoprotein level increased continuously, and abdominal CT scanning proved multiple intrahepatic metastases.

Keyword

Gallbladder carcinoma; Alpha-fetoprotein

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma
alpha-Fetoproteins
Cholecystectomy
Cytoplasm
Dyspepsia
Fetal Proteins
Follow-Up Studies
Gallbladder*
Humans
Liver
Neoplasm Metastasis
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Fetal Proteins
alpha-Fetoproteins