Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Background/Purpose : Adenosquamous carcinoma of the gallbladder is a relatively rare occurrence, accounting for only 1-5% cases of gallbladder carcinoma. This scarcity of cases combined with poor prognosis further adds to the clinical complexity in management of these patients. Case : We present a case of a 65 year old female with past medical history particularly significant for cholelithiasis, choledocholithiasis, and gallstone pancreatitis who presented to the emergency room with complaints of right upper quadrant pain. Initial workup was remarkable for an abdominal ultrasound with cholelithiasis with a positive sonographic murphy’s sign, biliary scan with persistent non-visualization of the gallbladder and a mildly elevated Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level of 42 U/L, while all other liver function tests and liver enzymes were within normal limits. Patient underwent a cholecystectomy, and the pathology report revealed adenosquamous carcinoma of the gallbladder with G3, poorly differentiated grading. Conclusion : The rarity of adenosquamous carcinoma of the gallbladder makes this case particularly noteworthy. Treatment generally requires a multidisciplinary approach consisting of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, however prognosis remains poor due to the inherent aggressive nature of the disease. Therefore, clinicians should maintain a high level of suspicion for patients with known risk factors such as chronic inflammation from gallstones like present in our patient, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and bacterial infections, for timely diagnosis and management.
Institutions: HCA Healthcare, University of Tripoli
Language: English
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $500
Funder: HCA Healthcare
OpenAlex ID: W7208833984