Papillary adenocarcinoma of the common bile duct.

Five patients with papillary adenocarcinoma of the common bile duct (CBD) are described. These are rare tumors and make up 5% of all malignant tumors of the biliary tract. The symptoms and signs at the time of initial diagnosis resemble benign obstructive lesions of the bile ducts. The tumor is soft, less invasive to adjacent tissues and tends to grow into the lumen. The early onset of the symptoms results in early intervention, with a better prognosis. Two of our patients are doing well after two and four years, where as three others were readmitted with recurrent disease.