Lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma with Epstein-Barr virus infection treated by radiofrequency ablation

Lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma (LELCC) is a rare intrahepatic tumor. There are usually no specific physical findings, and the tumors are often diagnosed incidentally and are frequently large-sized at diagnosis. The imaging findings of LELCC resemble those of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Tumors are often found in large-sized and advanced at diagnosis, and the main treatment of the disease is surgical resection. Herein, we report treating a patient with early stage LELCC by radiofrequency ablation (RFA). We diagnosed this tumor in a 27-year-old Chinese female with a history of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Based on the findings of blood examination, abdominal ultrasonography, and gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), this tumor was diagnosed as suspected HCC. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous tumor biopsy and RFA were performed at the same time. The histopathological findings finally revealed the diagnosis of LELCC. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report, in the English-language literature, of the treatment of LELCC by RFA; we suggest that RFA might be a candidate treatment for small-sized early stage LELCC.

Automated summary

LELCC is a rare intrahepatic tumor with no specific physical findings, often diagnosed incidentally in large size. We report a case of early stage LELCC successfully treated with radiofrequency ablation, suggesting it as a potential treatment for small-sized early stage LELCC.