The development of cholangiocarcinoma from multiple bile-duct adenomas. Report of a case and review of the literature.

A patient was found to have multiple bile-duct adenomas at cholecystectomy. Autopsy 10 years later revealed an asymptomatic cholangiocarcinoma of the left hepatic bile-duct, in which a gradual dedifferentiation could be seen from a central adenoma-like structure to an infiltrating adenocarcinoma peripherally. Similar cases from the literature are reviewed and possible etiologic relationships are discussed.