Lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma not associated with EBV

Reported herein is an unusual case of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with lymphoepithelioma-like appearance in a 64-year-old man who was found to have an intrahepatic mass without cirrhosis. The tumor had two distinct histological patterns with dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate. The first was similar to nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma; the second pattern was a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. Transition between the two components was observed in the same duct. Immunohistochemistry indicated that the tumor was immunoreactive with AE1/AE3 and cytokeratin (CK) 7, but negative for CEA and CK20. Stromal inflammatory infiltrate primarily consisted of plasma cells and lymphocytes. Immunohistochemical examination and in situ hybridization for EBV showed no integration of the virus in the tumor cells. Intrahepatic lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma is rare, and most are associated with EBV. Only three cases were not associated with EBV. The authors would like to add one more example of the tumors not associated with EBV.