[The clinico-morphological characteristics of cancer of the extrahepatic bile ducts (an analysis of 52 autopsy cases)].

Autopsy records have been analysed for 52 fatal cases of extrahepatic bile ducts cancer. Primary cancer most frequently involved common bile duct (37 cases). Histologically, skirr was found in 1 case, small-cell cancer in 1 case, adenocarcinoma in 50 cases. Radical and palliative surgery was performed in 4 and 24 cases, respectively. The invasion into the adjacent tissues and organs occurred in 34.6%, metastases were found in 32.7% of cases. Another primary lesion arose in 2 patients (sigmoid, thyroid cancer). 92.3% of patients developed jaundice with hepatic or hepatorenal insufficiency. Purulent hepatic disorder, impairment of intrahepatic bile ducts were seen in 40.4%. Focal pneumonia emerged in 32.7% of patients. Accurate lifetime diagnosis was made in 30 of 52 patients only.