Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of pancreas; a case series and review literature

Background: Information regarding solid pseudopapillary neoplasm [SPN] of the pancreas is limited in Iran. We aimed to review the clinicocytopathological features and follow-up of patients with SPN of pancreas who were diagnosed in a single center in Iran

Method: Seven patients with SPN of the pancreas were diagnosed during January 2010 to March 2015 at the Digestive Disease Research Institute of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The patients were reviewed prospectively

Results: Six out of the 7 patients were female and the mean age of all the patients was 29.4 years ranging from 15 to 61 years. The most common clinical presentation was nonspecific abdominal pain [N=6]. The tumors were located mostly in head and neck of the pancreas. SPN was diagnosed in all patients by fine needle aspiration through endosonography [EUS-FNA]. All patients underwent surgery. Histological findings of surgical tissues were consistent with EUS-FNA. The postoperative follow-up period of about 14 months was uneventful

Conclusion: SPN of the pancreas is a rare pancreatic tumor which affects primarily young women. EUS-guided FNA could play an important role in preoperative diagnosis of SPN of the pancreas

Clinical and pathological features of non-functional neuroendocrine tumors of pancreas: a report from Iran

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors [PNETs] are rare tumors with variable malignant potential, prognosis, and survival. We aimed to assess the characteristics of patients with non- functional PNET in our hospital. From Nov 2010 to Nov 2013, all patients who came to endosonography unit of Shariati hospital, Tehran, Iran, and had pancreatic lesions were assessed. Tumor samples were obtained through fine needle aspiration. Various characteristics of the non- functional PNET were recorded and patients were followed up to three years. Twenty eight non func-PNET cases, aged 37-72 years were identified, 15 [53.6%] of whom were men. Fifteen [53.6%] tumors were located in the head and 5[17.8%] in the body of the pancreas. The mean tumor size was 3.9 Cm and 10.7%, 28.6%, 32.1%, and 28.6% of the patients were at stages I, II, III and IV, respectively. Of the patients, 12 [43%] underwent surgery, 3 [10.7%] received chemotherapy, and 13 [46.4%] received no treatment. During the mean follow-up of 16 months, the disease had progressed in 3 [10.7%] patients and 10 [35.7%] had died. In univariate analysis, tumor size>3Cm and Ki-67>20% were correlated with survival rate but not in multivariate analysis. Iranian patients with non- functional PNET present similar characteristics to world patients. There is a need to establish efficacy of tumor samples which are obtaining through fine needle aspiration for assessing tumor grading

[Gastroduodenal sarcoidosis: a case report]

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. Sarcoidosis involving the gastrointestinal [GI] tract is extremely rare. This is a rare case report of an individual with symptomatic gastroduodenal sarcoidosis. A 34-year-old male with a six-month history of epigastric pain, nausea, early satiety and weight loss presented to our clinic. An upper endoscopy was performed which showed a cardia ulcer that measured approximately 10 mm along with multiple superficial erosions and patchy erythema in all parts of the gastroduodenal mucosa. Biopsies of the stomach and duodenum revealed severe active chronic noncaseating granulomatous gastritis and duodenitis. Stains for Helicobacter pylori, acid fast bacteria, and fungi were negative. An upper GI series showed thickened gastric folds with narrowing of the gastric body and antrum with lack of distensibility. The plasma level of angiotensin converting enzyme [ACE] was elevated. Corticosteroid therapy was started with rapid abatement of his symptoms. In cases of refractory epigastric pain, especially if other organ involvement, gastroduodenal sarcoidosis should be considered

Retinoblastoma and retinal astrocytoma: unusual double tumor in one eye

Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular neoplasm in children. Glial tumor of the retina and optic nerve head are considered to be congenital and are therefore classified as hamartomas. Concurrent occurrence of these tumors in one eye is uncommon and by reviewing the studies, a few cases have been reported. We report a 9 years old boy with eye enucleation and concurrent occurrence of retinoblastoma and astrocytoma in one eye as two separate and different masses. Although retinoblastoma and astrocytoma are two distinct tumors and their concurrent occurrence in one eye is rare, concurrent occurrence of these tumors may suggest differentiation of these two tumors from a neuroectodermal primary cell