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An unusual case of malignant biliary tract obstruction

Sakditad Saowapa
1*
Chalothorn Wannaphut
2
Hector Jose Garcia Pleitez
1
Andrea Ortiz Maldonado
1
Miriam Alicia Paz Sierra
1
Natchaya Polpichai
3
Pharit Siladech
4
Meenu Sharma
5
Lukman Tijani
6

1 Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Lubbock, Lubbock, Texas

2 Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii

3 Department of Internal Medicine, Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois

4 Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok

5 Department of Pathology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Lubbock, Lubbock, Texas

6 Department of Hematology and Oncology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Lubbock, Lubbock, Texas



Tumor Discovery 2025, 4(3),96-99; https://doi.org/10.36922/TD025070011
Submitted11 Feb 2025
Revised27 May 2025
Accepted05 Jun 2025
Published25 Jun 2025
+
Cite This Article
Sakditad Saowapa ,Chalothorn Wannaphut ,Hector Jose Garcia Pleitez ,Andrea Ortiz Maldonado ,Miriam Alicia Paz Sierra ,Natchaya Polpichai ,Pharit Siladech ,Meenu Sharma ,Lukman Tijani . (2025). <p>An unusual case of malignant biliary tract obstruction</p>. Tumor Discovery , 4(3), TD025070011. https://doi.org/10.36922/TD025070011
Abstract

Malignant biliary tract obstruction (MBTO) is most commonly associated with primary hepatobiliary and pancreatic malignancies. Here, we present a rare case of a 65-year-old female who developed obstructive jaundice, which initially raised suspicion for hepatobiliary carcinoma. Cross-sectional imaging, including computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, revealed hepatic lesions, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography demonstrated a malignant biliary stricture. Histopathological analysis of a liver biopsy unexpectedly confirmed metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC). Further evaluation with cystoscopy, prompted despite the absence of urinary symptoms, identified a small bladder mass, which was biopsy-proven as the primary UC. UC typically metastasizes to lymph nodes, lungs, or bones, and isolated liver involvement causing MBTO is exceptionally uncommon. This case underscores the importance of maintaining a broad differential diagnosis in patients with malignant biliary obstruction, as atypical metastatic patterns can mimic more common hepatobiliary cancers and delay appropriate management.

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