A Rare Case of Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Gallbladder: Incidental Finding in a Cholecystectomy Specimen
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21276/apalm.3999Keywords:
mucinous, incidental, gallbladder, adenocarcinoma, cholecystectomy, biliary tract malignancy, histopathologyAbstract
Introduction: Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract and remains one of the most aggressive gastrointestinal cancers owing to its silent clinical course and late-stage presentation. Adenocarcinoma constitutes approximately 90–95% of all gallbladder malignancies, whereas mucinous adenocarcinoma (MAC) is an uncommon histological variant accounting for only 0.2–2.8% of cases. Histologically, MAC is characterized by abundant extracellular mucin constituting more than 50% of the tumor volume.
Case report: We reported a case of a 45-year-old female presenting with right hypochondrial pain. Imaging revealed mild gallbladder wall thickening without evidence of a mass lesion. Cholecystectomy was performed with a clinical diagnosis of symptomatic cholelithiasis. Histopathological examination demonstrated extensive extracellular mucin pools containing malignant epithelial clusters infiltrating the perimuscular connective tissue on the peritoneal side. Cystic duct margin was involved by tumor. A diagnosis of mucinous adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder (pT2a) was rendered.
Conclusion: The rarity of this entity, coupled with its nonspecific clinical and radiological features, often leads to delayed diagnosis. Many cases are incidentally identified following cholecystectomy performed for presumed benign gallbladder disease, highlighting the importance of histopathological examination.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ritu Shradha Ojha, Saba Naaz, Sujata Jetely, Nehal Ahmad
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