Metastatic Cholangiocarcinoma Presenting as Colonic Obstruction

Abstract

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a biliary epithelial cancer conferring a grim prognosis. Metastatic recurrence of CCA is often discovered because of symptoms stemming from the site of metastasis. It is rarely reported that colonic obstruction serves as the presenting symptom of disease recurrence. We report the unusual discovery of malignant colonic obstruction because of metastatic CCA. Our report highlights the benefit of minimally invasive colonic stenting for palliation yielding immediate relief of pain while avoiding untoward sequelae from high-risk surgical intervention.

Keywords: cholangiocarcinoma; colonic obstruction; colonic stenting; metastatic cholangiocarcinoma.