An unusual case of malignant biliary tract obstruction
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
AbstractMalignant 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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