Pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis due to the difficulty of early diagnosis. Observation is recommended for early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in elderly patients with risk factors such as newly diagnosed diabetes and chronic pancreatitis. A 66-year-old male suffered from acute pancreatitis of uncertain etiology. Initial pancreatic imaging showed a main pancreatic duct stricture at the pancreas body/tail junction and minimal duct dilatation without a visible mass. Eight months later, however, pancreatic imaging revealed a pancreatic mass at the previous stricture site with progression of the upstream duct dilation. The patient underwent distal pancreatectomy, and a pathologic examination showed stage 1A pancreatic cancer with a predominantly intraductal spreading pattern. We report a case of stage 1A pancreatic cancer that initially manifested as acute obstructive pancreatitis, which enabled early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Pancreas ; Pancreatectomy ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Pancreatitis ; Pancreatitis, Chronic ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors

Pancreatic metastases from primary breast cancer are very rare. We report a case of pancreatic metastasis from invasive ductal carcinoma 13 years after the initial diagnosis of breast cancer. When the pancreatic mass was discovered, it was believed to be a primary pancreatic cancer due to the long interval from the initial diagnosis of breast cancer to metastasis. However, it was confirmed as metastatic breast cancer based on the pathology after surgical removal. Follow-up imaging has shown no recurrence.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Pathology ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of echo intensity and contrast enhancement in the differential diagnosis between intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm with an associated invasive carcinoma (IPMN-IC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) on ultrasonography. METHODS: This study included eight and 37 patients who had pathologically confirmed IPMN-IC and PDAC, respectively, and were enrolled for a comparative analysis of the sonographic features of the tumors. In the quantitative echo intensity evaluation, the two groups were compared with respect to the difference between the tumor intensity and the pancreatic intensity (TI-PI) and between the tumor intensity and the vascular intensity (TI-VI). In the quantitative contrast enhancement evaluation, the increase in echo intensity (ΔTI) and increase in echo intensity per unit of time (slope) were compared between the groups. The echo intensity and contrast enhancement were also compared between the two groups in patients with T3-T4 disease. In addition, the correlations of the histological type, tumor size, stromal type, and T factor with echogenicity and contrast enhancement were analyzed. RESULTS: IPMN-IC had significantly greater echo intensity and contrast enhancement than PDAC (TI-PI, P=0.004; TI-VI, P=0.001; ΔTI, P=0.012; slope, P=0.002). In T3-T4 disease, IPMN-IC also showed greater echo intensity and faster enhancement than PDAC. Echo intensity and contrast enhancement were correlated with histological type (TI-PI, P=0.003; TI-VI, P<0.001; ΔTI, P=0.007; slope, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: IPMN-IC and PDAC can be differentiated by the quantitative evaluation of echo intensity and contrast enhancement.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Humans ; Mucins* ; Pancreatic Ducts* ; Ultrasonography*

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features, and the prognosis of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) of the pancreas.

METHODSThe clinical findings, morphologic features, immunophenotype and prognosis were investigated in 61 cases of IPMN.

RESULTSOf these 61 cases, 33 were in the pancreatic head and 14 were in the body and tail, and 14 in the entire pancreas. The average patients' age was 61.8 years. The initial symptom was abdominal pain in 37 cases, and the tumors were detected at routine checkup in 14 cases. The imaging examination showed dilated ducts and/or cystic and solid masses. Grossly, 32 cases were multi-loculated cystic masses containing mucin and papillary areas; 13 cases were solid. Microscopically, the IPMN showed four patterns, including gastric-type (16 cases), intestinal-type (21 cases), pancreatobiliary-type (21 cases) and eosinophilic-type (3 cases). The IPMN cohort included 13, 13 and 6 IPMN with low, intermediate and high-grade dysplasia respectively, and 29 IPMN associated with invasive carcinoma. The IPMN associated carcinomas were mainly ductal adenocarcinoma (23/29, 79.3%), followed by colloid carcinoma (4/29, 13.8%) and undifferentiated carcinoma (2/29, 6.9%). Immunohistochemically, IPMN expressed MUC5AC (51/57, 89.4%), MUC2 (21/57, 36.8%), and MUC1 (13/46, 28.3%). The mean postoperative follow-up period was 32 months (range 12-112 months). Six of 61 patients were lost to follow-up. Overall 5-year survival rate was 76%. The 5-year survival rate of IPMN with low, intermediate or high-grade dysplasia was 100%, and recurrence was local in 3 patients. The 3-year survival rate of IPMN associated with invasive carcinoma was 55%. 12 of 13 patients died within 2 years after operation.

CONCLUSIONSIPMN is a common cystic neoplasm of the pancreas located in the ducts. The pathologic types and classifications are clearly defined. MUC stains are helpful for the diagnosis and papillary typing. IPMN with invasive carcinoma was associated with significantly worse survival than IPMN with dysplasia.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mucins ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Pancreas ; pathology ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

Leukemoid reaction is defined as leukocytosis exceeding 50,000 cells/mm3. When it occurs in a patient with a malignancy, secondary causes such as infections, drugs, hematologic diseases and hemorrhage need to be ruled out. After excluding such causes, paraneoplastic leukemoid reaction can be considered as a diagnosis of exclusion. Paraneoplastic leukemoid reactions have been described in association with lung, gastrointestinal, genitourinary and head and neck cancers. However, pancreatic cancer with leukemoid reaction has been rarely reported. We diagnosed a case of a 55-year-old Korean woman with extreme leukocytosis associated with advanced pancreatic cancer.
Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/complications/*diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocytes/cytology ; Leukocytosis/*complications ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/complications/*diagnosis ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of intraoperative fine needle aspiration cytology (IFNAC) examination in the diagnosis of pancreatic lesions.

METHODSThe clinicopathological data of 491 patients with pancreatic lesions treated in our hospital from May 1998 to June 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Their clinical features, IFNAC findings, pathological results after IFNAC examination and related complications were summarized. The factors affecting the aspiration biopsy accuracy were analyzed using logistic regression and multi factor analysis.

RESULTS491 patients with pancreatic lesions were examined by IFNAC. Among them, cancer cells were found in 434 cases (positive), and were not found in 57 cases (negative). Among the 310 cases who underwent surgical operation, postoperative pathology confirmed 209 cases of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, 8 cases of pancreatic cystadenocarcinoma, 23 cases of solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas, 15 cases of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, 14 cases of intraductal papillary mucinous tumor, 2 cases of primary pancreatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor, 17 cases of pancreatic serous cystadenoma, and 22 cases of chronic mass-forming type pancreatitis. The IFNAC test showed a sensitivity of 97.9% (425/434), and specificity of 89.5% (51/57). The IFNAC examination-related complications were pancreatic leakage in a total of 12 patients which were cured after treatment. No bleeding complication was observed. Logistic multivariate analysis showed that tumor size, cystic degeneration, lymph node metastasis and associated chronic pancreatitis are independent factors affecting the IFNAC examination of pancreatic carcinoma.

CONCLUSIONSIFNAC examination has a high sensitivity and specificity, and with a good safety in clinical use. IFNAC can be used as a powerful tool for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, with a high clinical value in use. In the cytology-negative cases, cytology alone can not rule out the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Through repeated sampling and combined with intraoperative frozen section pathology can improve the diagnostic accuracy.

Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Biopsy, Needle ; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Cystadenoma, Serous ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Frozen Sections ; Humans ; Pancreas ; pathology ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the bile duct (IPMN-B) and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas (IPMN-P) have striking similarities and are recognized as counterparts. However, simultaneous occurrence of IPMN-B and IPMN-P is extremely rare. A 66 year-old female presented with recurrent epigastric pain and fever. During the past 9 years, she had three clinical episodes related to intrahepatic duct stones and IPMN-P in the pancreas head and was managed by medical treatment. Laboratory test results at admission revealed leukocytosis (12,600/mm3) and elevated CA 19-9 level (1,200 U/mL). Imaging study demonstrated liver abscess in the Couinaud's segment 4, IPMN-B in the left lobe, and IPMN-P in the whole pancreas with suspicious malignant change. Liver abscess was drained preoperatively, followed by left lobectomy with bile duct resection and total pancreatectomy with splenectomy. On histologic examination, non-invasive intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma arising from various degree of dysplastic mucosa of the liver and pancreas could be observed. However, there was no continuity between the hepatic and pancreatic lesions. This finding in our case supports the theory that double primary lesions are more likely explained by a diffuse IPMN leading to synchronous tumors arising from both biliary and pancreatic ducts rather than by a metastatic process. Herein we present a case of simultaneous IPMN of the bile duct and pancreas which was successfully treated by surgical management.
Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Adenocarcinoma, Papillary/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Aged ; Bile Duct Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic/pathology ; CA-19-9 Antigen/analysis ; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Female ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Leukocytosis/diagnosis ; Pancreatectomy ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo compare the value of liver acquisition with volume acceleration (LAVA) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in diagnosing benign and malignant intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) of the pancreas.

METHODSThe MR findings of 35 IPMN patients confirmed by pathology were analyzed retrospectively, and the sequences included T1WI, T2WI, LAVA, and MRCP. All patients were divided into two groups: the group of MRI enhancement (including T1WI, T2WI, and MRI enhancement) and the group of MRCP (including T1WI, T2WI, and MRCP). Two groups were evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTSTotally 23 cases of intraductal papillary mucinous tumors and 12 cases of intraductal papillary mucinous carcinomas were diagnosed. Finally, 29 cases (29/35) of IPMN were diagnosed correctly in the group of MR enhancement, and 25 cases (25/35) diagnosed correctly in the group of MRCP. The differential diagnostic accuracy of the group of MRI enhancement (82.9%) was higher than that of the group of MRCP (71.4%), although the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.068). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the group of MRI enhancement were 83.3%, 82.6%, 71.4%, and 0.850, and those of the group of MRCP were 75.0%, 69.6%, 52.3%, and 0.723. The AUC of the group of MRI enhancement was significantly larger than that of the group of MRCP (P=0.0465).

CONCLUSIONMRI enhancement is more valuable than MRCP in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant IPMN.

Aged ; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal ; diagnosis ; Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate ; pathology ; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of our study was to evaluate the predictive factors of the presence of invasive carcinoma associated with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas on MDCT and MRI.

METHODSPreoperative MDCT or/and MRI of 27 consecutive patients (19 men, 8 women, mean age 61.3 years) who had undergone surgical resection and had a pathological diagnosis of IPMN were retrospectively assessed. The type of ductal involvement, solid appearance of the lesion, location, tumor size of branch duct type and combined type lesions, maximum diameter of the tumor, caliber of the main pancreatic duct and the extent of the common bile duct dilatation were assessed on CT and MRI and correlated with the pathological findings of the invasive carcinoma. Two abdominal radiologists reviewed all the images, and when discrepancies of the findings were found, the consensus was reached by discussion.

RESULTSPathological analysis revealed carcinoma in situ in two patients and invasive carcinoma in 19 patients arising from the IPMN. The type of ductal involvement (P = 0.038), a solid mass (P = 0.003) and the common bile duct dilatation ( ≥ 15 mm, P = 0.004) were correlated with the presence of associated invasive carcinoma. For the finding of solid and cystic mass in predicting invasive IPMN, the sensitivity was 66.7% (8/12) and specificity was 100.0% (8/8), and for bile duct diameter ≥ 15 mm, the sensitivity was 47.4% (9/19) and specificity was 100.0% (8/8). However, no association was found between the location of the lesion and associated invasive carcinoma. The caliber of the main pancreatic duct of patients with associated invasive carcinoma was significantly larger than that in the cases without invasive carcinoma (8.07 ± 2.23 mm vs. 4.86 ± 1.86 mm, P = 0.002). When using the main pancreatic duct dilatation ≥ 4 mm as the threshold, the sensitivity and specificity in predicting invasive IPMN were 94.7% (18/19) and 37.5% (3/8), respectively. For the branch duct type and combined type, the size of the tumor with associated invasive carcinoma was significantly larger than these without invasive carcinoma (41.35 ± 12.58) mm vs. (23.76 ± 8.06) mm (P = 0.003). When the maximum diameter was ≥ 40 mm, the sensitivity and specificity in predicting invasive IPMN were 50.0% (6/12) and 87.5% (7/8), respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe findings of CT and MRI are helpful to predict invasive carcinoma associated with IPMN, which may play an important role in the preoperative evaluation, surgical planning and predicting the prognosis of IPMN.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; diagnosis ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed