Perforated Calculous Cholecystitis and Incidental Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Gallbladder—A Complex Relationship with a Difficult Management in the Acute Setting
The worldwide prevalence of gallstones (GSs) is estimated to be between 10% and 15% in the general population. Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is the most common biliary tract neoplasia, and it is characterized by highly aggressive behavior and poor overall prognosis. Long-standing GSs and chronic infla...
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2025-03-01
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| author | Matteo Zanchetta Gian Luigi Adani Giorgio Micheletti Gianmario Edoardo Poto Stefania Angela Piccioni Ludovico Carbone Ilaria Monteleone Marta Sandini Daniele Marrelli Natale Calomino |
| author_facet | Matteo Zanchetta Gian Luigi Adani Giorgio Micheletti Gianmario Edoardo Poto Stefania Angela Piccioni Ludovico Carbone Ilaria Monteleone Marta Sandini Daniele Marrelli Natale Calomino |
| author_sort | Matteo Zanchetta |
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| description | The worldwide prevalence of gallstones (GSs) is estimated to be between 10% and 15% in the general population. Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is the most common biliary tract neoplasia, and it is characterized by highly aggressive behavior and poor overall prognosis. Long-standing GSs and chronic inflammatory state represent the most common risk factors for GBC, promoting a carcinogenic microenvironment. Long-standing GSs expose patients to potentially severe surgical and oncological complications. A 71-year-old gentleman, who had never experienced biliary symptoms and had diabetes mellitus (DM), presented with severe peritonitis due to perforated acute calculous cholecystitis. The patient underwent an emergent laparotomic cholecystectomy. Histopathology found a rare pT2b poorly differentiated squamocellular carcinoma of the gallbladder. Although more difficult due to the concomitant inflammatory context, it is critical to identify suspicious lesions during preoperative imaging in patients at high risk of malignancy presenting with complex acute gallbladder pathologies. A review of the literature was conducted to gain a deeper insight into the relationship between long-standing GSs and GBC, evaluating also the difficult diagnosis and management of malignancy in the acute setting. Considering the existing literature, the choice to pursue a prophylactic cholecystectomy may be justifiable in selected asymptomatic GS patients at high risk for GBC. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-75a4b673f5774e0ea2dc587d074e4bfe |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj-art-75a4b673f5774e0ea2dc587d074e4bfe2025-08-20T02:42:26ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442025-03-0161345210.3390/medicina61030452Perforated Calculous Cholecystitis and Incidental Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Gallbladder—A Complex Relationship with a Difficult Management in the Acute SettingMatteo Zanchetta0Gian Luigi Adani1Giorgio Micheletti2Gianmario Edoardo Poto3Stefania Angela Piccioni4Ludovico Carbone5Ilaria Monteleone6Marta Sandini7Daniele Marrelli8Natale Calomino9Unit of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Viale Mario Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, ItalyKidney Transplant Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Siena University Hospital, University of Siena, Viale Mario Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, ItalyKidney Transplant Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Siena University Hospital, University of Siena, Viale Mario Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, ItalyUnit of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Viale Mario Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, ItalyUnit of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Viale Mario Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, ItalyUnit of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Viale Mario Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, ItalyDiagnostic Imaging Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurosciences, Siena University Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Viale Bracci 10, 53100 Siena, ItalyUnit of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Viale Mario Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, ItalyUnit of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Viale Mario Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, ItalyKidney Transplant Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Siena University Hospital, University of Siena, Viale Mario Bracci 16, 53100 Siena, ItalyThe worldwide prevalence of gallstones (GSs) is estimated to be between 10% and 15% in the general population. Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is the most common biliary tract neoplasia, and it is characterized by highly aggressive behavior and poor overall prognosis. Long-standing GSs and chronic inflammatory state represent the most common risk factors for GBC, promoting a carcinogenic microenvironment. Long-standing GSs expose patients to potentially severe surgical and oncological complications. A 71-year-old gentleman, who had never experienced biliary symptoms and had diabetes mellitus (DM), presented with severe peritonitis due to perforated acute calculous cholecystitis. The patient underwent an emergent laparotomic cholecystectomy. Histopathology found a rare pT2b poorly differentiated squamocellular carcinoma of the gallbladder. Although more difficult due to the concomitant inflammatory context, it is critical to identify suspicious lesions during preoperative imaging in patients at high risk of malignancy presenting with complex acute gallbladder pathologies. A review of the literature was conducted to gain a deeper insight into the relationship between long-standing GSs and GBC, evaluating also the difficult diagnosis and management of malignancy in the acute setting. Considering the existing literature, the choice to pursue a prophylactic cholecystectomy may be justifiable in selected asymptomatic GS patients at high risk for GBC.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/3/452cholelithiasisgallbladder carcinomasquamous cell carcinomadiabetes mellitusgallstonesperitonitis |
| spellingShingle | Matteo Zanchetta Gian Luigi Adani Giorgio Micheletti Gianmario Edoardo Poto Stefania Angela Piccioni Ludovico Carbone Ilaria Monteleone Marta Sandini Daniele Marrelli Natale Calomino Perforated Calculous Cholecystitis and Incidental Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Gallbladder—A Complex Relationship with a Difficult Management in the Acute Setting Medicina cholelithiasis gallbladder carcinoma squamous cell carcinoma diabetes mellitus gallstones peritonitis |
| title | Perforated Calculous Cholecystitis and Incidental Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Gallbladder—A Complex Relationship with a Difficult Management in the Acute Setting |
| title_full | Perforated Calculous Cholecystitis and Incidental Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Gallbladder—A Complex Relationship with a Difficult Management in the Acute Setting |
| title_fullStr | Perforated Calculous Cholecystitis and Incidental Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Gallbladder—A Complex Relationship with a Difficult Management in the Acute Setting |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perforated Calculous Cholecystitis and Incidental Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Gallbladder—A Complex Relationship with a Difficult Management in the Acute Setting |
| title_short | Perforated Calculous Cholecystitis and Incidental Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Gallbladder—A Complex Relationship with a Difficult Management in the Acute Setting |
| title_sort | perforated calculous cholecystitis and incidental squamous cell carcinoma of the gallbladder a complex relationship with a difficult management in the acute setting |
| topic | cholelithiasis gallbladder carcinoma squamous cell carcinoma diabetes mellitus gallstones peritonitis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/3/452 |
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