Mixed ductal-endocrine carcinoma of the pancreas with synchronous papillary carcinoma-in-situ of the common bile duct: a case report and literature review--synchronous pancreatic and bile duct tumors.

This report is a case of a 58-year-old woman with a mixed ductal-endocrine carcinoma of the pancreas and a synchronous carcinoma-in-situ of the common bile duct. She presented with intractable itching from obstructive jaundice. Magnetic resonance imaging scan showed dilated intrahepatic biliary and common bile ducts. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed an ulcerated lesion of the ampulla. Biopsies from this lesion showed adenocarcinoma. Subsequently, pancreatoduodenectomy was performed for the diagnosis of peri-ampullary carcinoma. Gross examination revealed a 2-cm irregular, ulcerated lesion obstructing the distal 0.5 cm of the common bile duct within the head of the pancreas. On histopathological examination, it was discovered that this lesion contained two separate neoplasms: papillary carcinoma-in-situ of the intraparenchymal portion of the common bile duct and a mixed ductal-endocrine carcinoma of the pancreas. Mixed ductal-endocrine carcinoma of the pancreas is very rare. Finding it in conjunction with a synchronous, overlying papillary carcinoma carcinoma-in-situ of the common bile duct has not been previously described.