A Case of Metastatic Ampulla of Vater Carcinoma Masked Under Recurrent Acute Pancreatitis: A Diagnostic Challenge

The ampulla of Vater is a small opening located at the point where bile and pancreatic ducts join and empty their secretions into the small intestine. Ampullary cancers are rare but aggressive malignancies that can present with symptoms similar to those of acute pancreatitis, including abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and obstructive jaundice. Clinicians must rely on a combination of blood tests, imaging, and biopsies to diagnose ampullary cancer, which may be a hidden cause of acute pancreatitis. In this report, we present the case of a 66-year-old female who presented to our hospital with recurrent admissions due to abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. The patient was found to have repeated episodes of acute pancreatitis and was later diagnosed with cancer of the ampulla of Vater. This case proved extremely complex and diagnostically challenging.