Pathological complete response achieved by gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy for initially unresectable advanced gallbladder cancer: a case report

Abstract Background Conversion surgery for initially unresectable gallbladder cancer is rarely performed due to the low response rate for systemic chemotherapy, and a pathological complete response is seldom achieved. Case presentation A 67-year-old woman with jaundice was referred to our hospital a...

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Main Authors: Yuya Miura, Ryo Ashida, Teiichi Sugiura, Katsuhisa Ohgi, Mihoko Yamada, Shimpei Otsuka, Akiko Todaka, Katsuhiko Uesaka
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Japan Surgical Society 2022-01-01
Series:Surgical Case Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40792-022-01375-z
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author Yuya Miura
Ryo Ashida
Teiichi Sugiura
Katsuhisa Ohgi
Mihoko Yamada
Shimpei Otsuka
Akiko Todaka
Katsuhiko Uesaka
author_facet Yuya Miura
Ryo Ashida
Teiichi Sugiura
Katsuhisa Ohgi
Mihoko Yamada
Shimpei Otsuka
Akiko Todaka
Katsuhiko Uesaka
author_sort Yuya Miura
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Conversion surgery for initially unresectable gallbladder cancer is rarely performed due to the low response rate for systemic chemotherapy, and a pathological complete response is seldom achieved. Case presentation A 67-year-old woman with jaundice was referred to our hospital and diagnosed with unresectable gallbladder cancer with extra-regional lymph node metastasis after examinations. After biliary decompression, gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy was started. The tumor marker levels markedly decreased, and imaging studies revealed a reduction in the primary tumor and metastatic lymph nodes. The primary tumor and metastatic lymph node were still shrunk at 4 years after the start of gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy, so we decided to perform conversion surgery. Gallbladder bed resection and lymph node dissection were performed. The pathological findings of the resected specimen showed only partial fibrosis in the gallbladder wall and no malignant findings in the dissected lymph nodes, indicating a pathological complete response. As of 24 months after the operation, she is alive without recurrence. Conclusion Although there have been only a few reports of conversion surgery for initially unresectable gallbladder cancer, it may be worthwhile to perform chemotherapy with the potential goal of subsequent conversion surgery.
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publishDate 2022-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-207edcfec739431d85999f69924eeb0b2025-08-20T02:42:07ZengJapan Surgical SocietySurgical Case Reports2198-77932022-01-01811910.1186/s40792-022-01375-zPathological complete response achieved by gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy for initially unresectable advanced gallbladder cancer: a case reportYuya Miura0Ryo Ashida1Teiichi Sugiura2Katsuhisa Ohgi3Mihoko Yamada4Shimpei Otsuka5Akiko Todaka6Katsuhiko Uesaka7Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer CenterDivision of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer CenterDivision of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer CenterDivision of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer CenterDivision of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer CenterDivision of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer CenterDivision of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer CenterDivision of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer CenterAbstract Background Conversion surgery for initially unresectable gallbladder cancer is rarely performed due to the low response rate for systemic chemotherapy, and a pathological complete response is seldom achieved. Case presentation A 67-year-old woman with jaundice was referred to our hospital and diagnosed with unresectable gallbladder cancer with extra-regional lymph node metastasis after examinations. After biliary decompression, gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy was started. The tumor marker levels markedly decreased, and imaging studies revealed a reduction in the primary tumor and metastatic lymph nodes. The primary tumor and metastatic lymph node were still shrunk at 4 years after the start of gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy, so we decided to perform conversion surgery. Gallbladder bed resection and lymph node dissection were performed. The pathological findings of the resected specimen showed only partial fibrosis in the gallbladder wall and no malignant findings in the dissected lymph nodes, indicating a pathological complete response. As of 24 months after the operation, she is alive without recurrence. Conclusion Although there have been only a few reports of conversion surgery for initially unresectable gallbladder cancer, it may be worthwhile to perform chemotherapy with the potential goal of subsequent conversion surgery.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40792-022-01375-zGallbladder cancerConversion surgeryPathological complete responseGemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy
spellingShingle Yuya Miura
Ryo Ashida
Teiichi Sugiura
Katsuhisa Ohgi
Mihoko Yamada
Shimpei Otsuka
Akiko Todaka
Katsuhiko Uesaka
Pathological complete response achieved by gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy for initially unresectable advanced gallbladder cancer: a case report
Surgical Case Reports
Gallbladder cancer
Conversion surgery
Pathological complete response
Gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy
title Pathological complete response achieved by gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy for initially unresectable advanced gallbladder cancer: a case report
title_full Pathological complete response achieved by gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy for initially unresectable advanced gallbladder cancer: a case report
title_fullStr Pathological complete response achieved by gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy for initially unresectable advanced gallbladder cancer: a case report
title_full_unstemmed Pathological complete response achieved by gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy for initially unresectable advanced gallbladder cancer: a case report
title_short Pathological complete response achieved by gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy for initially unresectable advanced gallbladder cancer: a case report
title_sort pathological complete response achieved by gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy for initially unresectable advanced gallbladder cancer a case report
topic Gallbladder cancer
Conversion surgery
Pathological complete response
Gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40792-022-01375-z
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