Synchronous carcinoma of the gall-bladder in patients with bile duct carcinoma.

One hundred and twenty-four patients with bile duct carcinoma treated during 16 years were analysed retrospectively for multiple biliary tract carcinoma. Sixty-two cases had undergone a cholecystectomy either as part of a pancreaticoduodenectomy or a bile duct resection or as part of an internal drainage procedure. Three (5%) were found to have an incidental separate carcinoma of the gall-bladder. The discontinuity between the two sites of cancer was histologically confirmed. Clinical concern was that approximately 5% of patients with bile duct carcinoma had a synchronous carcinoma of the gall-bladder. Thus, careful examination of the entire biliary tract including the gall-bladder is necessary at the time of curative surgery for bile duct carcinoma.