Zhang K, Liu HL. Unusual presentation of synchronous double primary gallbladder and hepatic malignancies: A case report. World J Hepatol 2025; 17(10): 110029 [DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v17.i10.110029]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Hong-Liang Liu, Professor, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qingdao Women and Children’s Hospital, No. 6 Tongfu Road, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China. 1715069155@qq.com
Research Domain of This Article
Oncology
Article-Type of This Article
Case Report
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Oct 27, 2025 (publication date) through Oct 27, 2025
Times Cited of This Article
Times Cited (0)
Journal Information of This Article
Publication Name
World Journal of Hepatology
ISSN
1948-5182
Publisher of This Article
Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
Share the Article
Zhang K, Liu HL. Unusual presentation of synchronous double primary gallbladder and hepatic malignancies: A case report. World J Hepatol 2025; 17(10): 110029 [DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v17.i10.110029]
World J Hepatol. Oct 27, 2025; 17(10): 110029 Published online Oct 27, 2025. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v17.i10.110029
Unusual presentation of synchronous double primary gallbladder and hepatic malignancies: A case report
Kun Zhang, Hong-Liang Liu
Kun Zhang, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
Hong-Liang Liu, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qingdao Women and Children’s Hospital, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
Co-first authors: Kun Zhang and Hong-Liang Liu.
Author contributions: Zhang K was primarily responsible for the collection and organization of patient case data, drafted the initial manuscript, participated in all revisions and proofreading, and assumes responsibility for the final content of the manuscript; Liu HL proposed the clinical significance and research framework for reporting this rare case, oversaw the overall design and academic direction of the case report, performed final review and approval of the manuscript for submission, and assumes academic supervision and final accountability for the publication. Zhang K and Liu HL contributed equally to this manuscript and are co-first authors.
Informed consent statement: Informed consent was obtained from the patient for the publication of this case report and the accompanying images. All data were anonymized to ensure the protection of patient privacy.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Hong-Liang Liu, Professor, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qingdao Women and Children’s Hospital, No. 6 Tongfu Road, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China. 1715069155@qq.com
Received: June 3, 2025 Revised: July 29, 2025 Accepted: September 29, 2025 Published online: October 27, 2025 Processing time: 149 Days and 0.3 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Synchronous double primary malignancies of the gallbladder and liver are exceedingly rare clinically and prone to misdiagnosis as metastatic lesions. Due to anatomic contiguity and overlapping imaging characteristics, distinguishing primary carcinomas from metastatic disease is challenging, often delaying curative-intent treatment. Current lack of consensus on management underscores the imperative to investigate their pathologic features and individualized strategies for improved prognostication.
CASE SUMMARY
This study presents a rare case of synchronous double primary malignancies involving both gallbladder adenocarcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. Following a comprehensive analysis of the patient’s diagnostic workup, therapeutic interventions, and 12-month follow-up outcome, the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic determinants of such synchronous malignancies are described. These findings offer valuable guidance for clinicians in optimizing diagnostic strategies and treatment decision-making for complex presentations of multiple primary cancers.
CONCLUSION
The critical insights obtained from this case, integrated with a review of current literature, identify the key diagnostic challenges in differentiating primary vs metastatic lesions and propose a multidisciplinary management framework.
Core Tip: The synchronous double primary malignancies of the gallbladder and liver represent an exceedingly rare clinical entity with no established management consensus. We present a distinctive case of a 70-year-old patient who achieved no evidence of disease status following multidisciplinary intervention. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges in distinguishing synchronous primaries from metastatic disease, underscores the critical role of histopathological confirmation, and demonstrates the potential for favorable outcomes through aggressive surgical intervention. Our experience provides valuable insights for managing such complex cases.
