A Case of Sarcomatoid Cholangiocarcinoma Which Developed at the Site Previously Treated by Transarterial Chemoembolization

ABSTRACT

Intrahepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma is a rare tumor with poor prognosis due to its highly invasive and metastatic nature and difficulty for early detection. The most common form of intrahepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma is the sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma, the development of which is usually associated with previous treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma. In contrast, sarcomatoid cholangiocarcinoma is extremely rare and results from spontaneous sarcomatoid transformation during the development of tumor. Here, we report a case of sarcomatoid cholangiocarcinoma, in a 58-year-old male, which developed at the site of previous treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma. A 9 × 7 cm sized tumor which had not been detected in the computed tomography exam 3 months before diagnosis was newly observed. The tumor rapidly progressed and the patient died only 31 days after the diagnosis.