Pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas

Abstract

Objective: To report the case of a male diagnosed with a solid pseudopapillary tumor of the páncreas. This pathology fundamentally affects young women, being extremely infrequent in men.

Clinical Case: A 40-year-old man diagnosed by CT with a well-defined solid intra-abdominal mass, 12.5 x 13 x 8.5 cm, heterogeneous, with peripheral calcifications and enhancement after contrast administration in the portal phase, dependent on the body-tail of the pancreas. Fine needle puncture is performed, inconclusive. The exploratory laparotomy showed a solid tumor dependent on the pancreatic tail that included splenic vessels. The tumor was released peripherally, requiring distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy. The AP result reported solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreatic tail of low grade of malignancy, well differentiated (G1). Hospital discharge on the 12th day without complications. Currently free of disease two years after the intervention.

Discussion: This rare tumor represents 2%-3% of pancreatic neoplasms. 90% affects young women, with a ratio of women to men of 4:1. In these, it has greater malignant potential with worse prognosis.

Conclusion: The low incidence in males can make diagnosis difficult. However, we must take it into account in the differential diagnosis, since radical surgical treatment significantly increases survival by avoiding local recurrence and distant metastases, which is a surgical challenge.