Spontaneous healing of sclerosing cholangitis associated with stricture of the main pancreatic duct.

A 78-year-old man was admitted for jaundice. Strictures of the main pancreatic duct and of the main bile duct in the head of the pancreas were showed by ERCP. This association initially evoked a cancer of the head of the pancreas. A prosthesis was endoscopically inserted in the main bile duct. Three months later, strictures of intrahepatic bile ducts appeared, demonstrated by ERCP. The diagnosis of sclerosing cholangitis or of liver metastases was suggested. Twenty-eight months later, cholangiography and pancreatography were normal, ruling out a malignant lesion. Presently, the patient is in good condition with no biological abnormality. This observation is interesting because it shows that some cases of sclerosing cholangitis may heal spontaneously. It shows the necessity of having histological proof of pancreatic cancer.