Progress in diagnosis and treatment for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of pancreas / 中华肝胆外科杂志

The intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) become the focus of clinical study because of the potential malignancy. Based on the latest clinical guidelines and relevant literatures, this review summarized the epidemiologic features, pathological and histological features, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, laboratory and radiology examination, therapy and follow-up to better understand the diagnosis and treatment for IPMN.

Research progress on clinical trials of radiaotherapy and chemotherapy in localized pancreatic cancer / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Pancreatic cancer is technically divided into surgically resectable, borderline resectable or unresectable disease according to the relationship between tumor mass and adjacent blood vessels. Upon diagnosis, most of the lesions have been locally advanced or had distant metastases, and only 20% of the patients have the opportunity for tumor resection. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are essential for pancreatic cancer. In this article, the literatures published in recent years were reviewed to focus on the research progress on the clinical trials of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy, stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), radiochemotherapy combined with immunotherapy for localized pancreatic cancer.

Comparison of efficacy and safety between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery and immediate surgery in the treatment of resectable and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer: a Meta-analysis / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery and immediate surgery in the treatment of resectable and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer.Methods:Literature review was performed from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CBM, Wanfang, CNKI and VIP from the inception date to February, 2020 using the key words including "pancreatic neoplasm, pancreatic cancer, surgery, preoperative chemoradiotherapy, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy" in both English and Chinese. The randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery versus immediate surgery in the treatment of resectable and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer were searches. Literature screening, data extraction and estimation of the risk of bias were independently conducted by two researchers. The HR and 95% CI were used for estimating the overall survival time. The R 0 resection rate, overall incidence of postoperative complications, and mortality rate throughout treatment were assessed by the RR and 95% CI. The heterogeneity of the studies was analyzed using the I2 test. Results:A total of 4 RCTs were included. Among 400 patients, 197 cases were assigned into the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy combined with surgery group and 203 in the immediate surgery group. The results of Meta-analysis showed that patients in the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery group obtained longer overall survival ( HR=0.76, 95% CI: 0.60-0.97, P=0.03) and higher R 0 resection rate ( RR=1.72, 95% CI: 1.40-2.13, P<0.01). Besides, the overall incidence of postoperative complications ( RR=1.02, 95% CI: 0.73-1.43, P=0.90) and mortality rate throughout treatment ( RR=1.19, 95% CI: 0.48-2.93, P=0.71) did not significantly differ between two groups. Conclusions:During the treatment of resectable or borderline resectable pancreatic cancer, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery may bring more survival benefits than immediate surgery and does not increase the incidence of postoperative complications and mortality rate throughout treatment. Therefore, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery can be used as a recommended treatment for patients with resectable or borderline resectable pancreatic cancer.

Safety Evaluation of Paclitaxel-Eluting Biliary Metal Stent with Sodium Caprate in Porcine Biliary Tract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Metallic stents designed to relieve malignant biliary obstruction are susceptible to occlusive tumor ingrowth or overgrowth. In a previous report, we described metallic stents covered with paclitaxel-incorporated membrane (MSCPM-I, II) to prevent occlusion from tumor ingrowth via antitumor effect. This new generation paclitaxel-eluting biliary stent is further endowed with sodium caprate (MSCPM-III) for enhanced drug delivery. The purpose of this study is to examine the safety of its drug delivery system in the porcine biliary tract. METHODS: MSCPM-III (10% [wt/vol] paclitaxel) and covered metal stents (CMSs) were endoscopically inserted in porcine bile ducts in vivo. Histologic biliary changes, levels of paclitaxel released, and various serum analytes (albumin, alkaline phosphate, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, total protein, total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin) were assessed. RESULTS: Based on the intensity of reactive inflammation and fibrosis, changes in porcine biliary epithelium secondary to implanted MSCPM-III were deemed acceptable (i.e., safe). Histologic features in the MSCPM-III and CMS groups did not differ significantly. In a related serum analysis, paclitaxel release from MSCPM-III stents was below the limit of detection for 28 days. Biochemical analyses were also similar for the two groups, and no evidence of hepatic or renal toxicity was found in animals receiving MSCPM-III stents. CONCLUSIONS: In a prototypic porcine trial, this newly devised metal biliary stent incorporating both paclitaxel and sodium caprate appears to be safe in the porcine bile duct.

Spleen Preservation in Laparoscopic Distal Pancreatectomy for Solitary Pseudopapillary Tumors Is Oncologic Safe

Pancreatic solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) is a rare tumor that is mostly benign, but a surgical resection is recommended. Pancreatic SPN has a relatively well-demarcated margin and lymph node metastases are rare. The prognosis of pancreatic SPN is relatively good. Therefore, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is often available. When a distal pancreatectomy is performed for SPN located at the pancreatic body or tail, it is believed to preserve the spleen. MIS with preservation of spleen not only helps the patient recover after surgery, but also does not worsen the oncology results compared to open surgery with or without a splenectomy. Recently, robotic surgery has expanded gradually. Therefore, it is expected that MIS with spleen preservation will become more common for pancreatic SPN.

Metabolic Profiling of Plasma from Pancreatic Cancer Patients in Korea / 대한췌담도학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Pancreatic cancer (PC) patients have poor prognoses because this cancer is typically diagnosed at an advanced stage and the therapeutic options are limited. We examined the potential of metabolic profiling for early diagnosis and identification of potential therapeutic targets. METHODS: Ten patients and 10 healthy volunteer controls older than 20 years of age were enrolled between May and December 2015. The patients were confirmed to have pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cytologically or histologically. Blood plasma samples were derivatized and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Untargeted GC-MS data were analyzed using statistical methods, including Wilcoxon rank-sum test and principal component analyses. RESULTS: L-lysine was 1.36-fold higher in patients than in healthy controls (p<0.05). L-leucine was 0.63-fold lower (p<0.01) and palmitic acid was 0.93-fold lower (p<0.5) in patients than in controls. Orthogonal partial least squared-discriminant analysis revealed significant differences between the patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the metabolic profiles of patients with PC are distinct from those of the healthy population. Further studies are required to develop methods for early diagnosis and identify therapeutic targets.

Present and Future of Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Tissue Acquisition in Solid Pancreatic Tumors

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition (EUS-TA) is a well-established method for pathological diagnosis of solid pancreatic neoplasm. It can be performed either as EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) or EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB). The incidence of adverse events related to EUS-TA is less than 1%. The factors that affect the diagnostic accuracy and specimen adequacy include the techniques used, type and size of the needle, competency of endosonographers, presence of cytopathologists/cytotechnologists, and rapid on-site examination. EUS-TA may contribute to precision medicine through obtaining tissue samples for next-generation sequencing. The current status, several clinical issues for diagnostic yield and adverse events, and future perspectives of EUS-FNA/FNB for diagnosing pancreatic neoplasm have been discussed in this review article.

Effect of microRNA-1290 on invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective To investigate the expression of microRNA-1290 in pancreatic cancer and its role in invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer.Methods The expression of microRNA-1290 in pancreatic cancer tissue microarray and pancreatic cancer cell lines (AsPC-1,BxPC-3,Capan-2,Panc-1,and MIA PaCa-2) were detected by immunohistochemistry and QT-PCR.The pancreatic cancer cell lines Panc-1 and MIA PaCa-2 in logarithmic growth phase were treated with microRNA-1290 inhibitor,and the invasion and metastasis ability of pancreatic cancer cells were detected by Transwell and wound healing asssay.Western Blot was used to detect the expression of invasion and metastasis-associated proteins cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and matrix metalloproteinase 2(MMP-2) in pancreatic cancer cell lines.Results (1) The expression of microRNA-1290 in pancreatic cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in normal pancreatic tissues and adjacent tissues (P ＜ 0.05).(2) Compared with pancreatic normal epithelial cells (HPDE),the expression of microRNA-1290 was significantly higher in different pancreatic cancer cell lines (P ＜ 0.05).The expression level of MicroRNA-1290 in Panc-1 and MIAPaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cells was significantly higher than that in other pancreatic cancer cell lines (P ＜ 0.05).(3) The number of invasive and metastatic cells was significantly decreased after treatment with microRNA-1290 inhibitor (P ＜0.05).(4) The expression of MMP-2 and COX-2 were decreased in Panc-1 and MIAPaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cells treated with MicroRNA-1290 inhibitor.Conclusion The expression of MMP-2 and COX-2 may be involved in the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cell by regulating the expression of microRNA-1290 in pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: surgical resection / Tumores neuroendócrinos ressecáveis do pâncreas: abordagem cirúrgica

ABSTRACT Introduction: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET) correspond to about 3% of all tumors in pancreas and could be presented as a difficult diagnosis and management. Objective: To review the diagnosis and treatment of the pNET available in scientific literature. Method: A bibliographic survey was performed by means of an online survey of MeSH terms in the Pubmed database. A total of 104 articles were published in the last 15 years, of which 23 were selected as the basis for the writing of this article. Results: pNET is an infrequent neoplasia and their incidence, in USA, is about 1:100.000 inhabitants/year. Thereabout 30% of them produce hormones presenting as a symptomatic disease and others 70% of the cases could be silent disease. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and/or Computed Tomography (CT) have similar sensitivy to detect pNET. They are very important when associated to nuclear medicine mainly Positron Emission Tomography (PET-CT) Gallium-68 to find primary tumor and its staging. The appropriate treatment should be chosen based on characteristics of the tumor, its staging and associated comorbidities. Conclusion: The surgical resection is still the best treatment for patients with ressectable pancreatic NETs. However, the size, grade, tumor functionality, stage and association with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) are important to define who will be eligible for surgical treatment. In general, tumors bigger than 2 cm are eligible for surgical treatment, except insulinomas whose surgical resection is recommended no matter the size.

RESUMO Introdução: Os tumores neuroendócrinos pancreáticos (TNE-P) correspondem a cerca de 3% de todas as neoplasias no pâncreas e são de diagnóstico e manejo difíceis. Objetivo: Revisar o diagnóstico e tratamento desses tumores disponíveis na literatura científica atual. Método: Foi realizado levantamento bibliográfico por meio de pesquisa online de MeSH terms na base de dados do Pubmed. Ao todo foram analisados 104 artigos publicados nos últimos 15 anos, dos quais 23 foram selecionados como base para a redação deste artigo. Resultados: TNE-P é neoplasia pouco frequente com incidência estimada em 1: 100.000 habitantes/ano. Cerca de 30% produzem hormônios, ditos funcionantes, que se apresentam como doença sintomática e outros 70% podem se apresentar como doença silenciosa. Como recurso diagnóstico o uso de tomografia computadorizada ou ressonância nuclear magnética apresentam níveis de sensibilidade parecidas. Sua associação à recursos da medicina nuclear são de grande valia para localização de tumores primários e estadiamento, destacando-se o uso da tomografia por emissão de pósitrons (PET-CT) com Gálio-68. A decisão terapêutica deve ser baseada nas características tumorais, estadiamento e comorbidades associadas. Conclusão: A abordagem cirúrgica permanece como a terapia de escolha para pacientes com TNE-P ressecáveis. No entanto, a seleção de pacientes para tratamento cirúrgico deve seguir critérios baseados em funcionalidade do tumor, grau, estágio e associação com neoplasia múltipla tipo 1. De forma geral, tumores maiores de 2 cm têm indicação cirúrgica, excetuando-se os insulinomas, cuja proposta cirúrgica independe de seu tamanho.

Utilidad pronóstica del PET/CT en cáncer de páncreas / Prognostic value of PET/CT in pancreatic cancer

Background: Pancreatic cancer is the tenth most prevalent cancer in world, and represents the fourth cause of cancer death. It has a five year-survival of 5%. Aim: To assess the prognostic value of PET/CT in pancreatic cancer. Material and Methods: Sixty-nine patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma who underwent staging 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT between December 2008 and July 2016 were selected. Gender, age, body-mass index, laboratory tests (Ca 19-9, hemoglobin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, liver enzymes, lactate dehydrogenase), histological differentiation of tumor, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, size and 18F-FDG uptake (maximal stan-dardized uptake value [SUVmax]) of the primary tumor, nodal involvement and distant metastasis detected by PET/CT were registered. Survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves, Log Rank test and Cox multivariable analysis. Results: Mortality was 66.7%, during a mean observation time of 18 months (range 20 days-66 months). Curative surgery, lack of metastases detected by PET/CT, histologically well differentiated tumors, and SUVmax ≤ 4.3 were significantly associated with a better specific survival, determined by the Log Rank test. Histological differentiation was the only variable that had a statistically significant prognostic value in the multivariable analysis. Conclusions: The detection of distant metastases and the intensity of primary tumor 18F-FDG uptake during PET/CT provide useful prognostic information in pancreatic cancer patients.

Contribution of DNA repair xeroderma pigmentosum group D genotypes to pancreatic cancer risk in the Chinese Han population

Abstract This study aimed to determine the association between the polymorphisms and haplotypes in the xeroderma pigmentosum group D (XPD) gene and the risk of pancreatic cancer in the Chinese Han population. SNaPshot was used for genotyping six SNP sites of the XPD gene. Comparisons of the correlations between different genotypes in combination with smoking and the susceptibility to pancreatic cancer were performed. Individual pancreatic cancer risk in patients who carry mutant C alleles (AC, CC, and AC+CC) at rs13181 increased (p < 0.05). Taking non-smoking individuals who carry the AA genotype as a reference, and non-smoking individuals who carry mutant allele C (AC+CC), the risk of pancreatic cancer increased by 3.343 times in individuals who smoked ≥ 20 cigarettes daily, 3.309 times in individuals who smoked ≥ 14 packs per year, 5.011 times in individuals who smoked ≥ 24 packs per year, and 4.013 times in the individuals who smoked ≥ 37 packs per year (P < 0.05). In addition, haplotype analysis revealed that haplotype AGG, which comprised rs13181, rs3916874 and rs238415, was associated with a 1.401-fold increase in pancreatic cancer risk (p < 0.05). We conclude that the polymorphism of XPD Lys751Gln (rs13181) in combination with smoking contributes to increased risk of pancreatic cancer in the Chinese Han population. Haplotype AGG might be a susceptibility haplotype for pancreatic cancer.

Efficacy of Nab-Paclitaxel Plus Gemcitabine and Prognostic Value of Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The combination of nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine (nab-P/Gem) is widely used for treating meta-static pancreatic cancer (MPC). We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic outcomes and prognostic role of treatment-related peripheral neuropathy in patients with MPC treated with nab-P/Gem in clinical practice. METHODS: MPC patients treated with nab-P/Gem as the first-line chemotherapy were included. All 88 Korean patients underwent at least two cycles of nab-P/Gem combination chemotherapy (125 and 1,000 mg/m2, respectively). Treatment-related adverse events were monitored through periodic follow-ups. Overall survival and progression-free survival were estimated by the Kaplan Meier method, and the Cox proportional hazards regression linear model was applied to assess prognostic factors. To evaluate the prognostic value of treatment-related peripheral neuropathy, the landmark point analysis was used. RESULTS: Patients underwent a mean of 6.7±4.2 cycles during 6.3±4.4 months. The median overall survival and progression-free survival rates were 14.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.8 to 20.3 months) and 8.4 months (95% CI, 7.1 to 13.2 months), respectively. The disease control rate was 84.1%; a partial response and stable disease were achieved in 30 (34.1%) and 44 (50.0%) patients, respectively. Treatment-related peripheral neuropathy developed in 52 patients (59.1%), and 13 (14.8%) and 16 (18.2%) patients experienced grades 2 and 3 neuropathy, respectively. In the landmark model, at 6 months, treatment-related peripheral neuropathy did not have a significant correlation with survival (p=0.089). CONCLUSIONS: Nab-P/Gem is a reasonable choice for treating MPC, as it shows a considerable disease control rate while the treatment-related peripheral neuropathy was tolerable. The prognostic role of treatment-related neuropathy was limited.

Recent progress in targeted drug delivery nanosystems for pancreatic cancer treatment / 药学学报

Pancreatic cancer is a highly-malignant digestive system neoplasm. The anticancer efficacies of the chemotherapeutic drugs for pancreatic cancer treatment, such as gemcitabine, are greatly limited by their poor targetability to tumor and low drug concentration in the tumor tissue. Drug delivery system plays an important role in improvement of therapeutic efficacy and reduction of adverse effects. Enhancement of the tumor targeting capacity of nanomedicine and promotion of the delivery efficiency are the key issues in the research field of pharmaceutics. In this review article, we survey recent progress in targeted drug delivery nanosystems for treatment of pancreatic cancer by targeting cancer cells, pancreatic tumor stroma, pancreatic cancer-associated cells, and pancreatic cancer stem-like cells, which will provide a new insight into clinical treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Effect of high-dose hypofractionated radiotherapy on quality of life of patients with pancreatic cancer / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective To evaluate the effect of high-dose hypofractionated radiotherapy upon the quality of life (QOL) of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Methods In this prospective study, 50 patients with pancreatic cancer admitted to our hospital between 2016 and 2017 were recruited. All patients underwent high-dose hypofractionated helical tomotherapy. The prescription doses for PTV, CTV, and GTV were 50, 60, and 70 Gy in 15-20 fractions, 5 times per week. The QOL was evaluated by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and pancreatic cancer-specific (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-PAN26) questionnaires before, after, 1-month and 3-month after the radiotherapy to statistically compare the QOL changes before and after radiotherapy and subsequent follow-up. Results A total of 50 patients with pancreatic cancer were included. At the end of radiotherapy, the overall QLQ-C30 score did not differ from that before radiotherapy (P＝0. 330). At 1 month after radiotherapy, the overall QLQ-C30 score was significantly higher than that before radiotherapy (P＝0. 000). The overall QLQ-C30 scores did not significantly differ at 1-and 3-month after radiotherapy ( P＝0. 665). At 3 months after radiotherapy, social function score was considerably decreased (P＝0. 047), and the remaining function scores were equal to those at 1 month post-radiotherapy. The symptoms of fatigue in the QLQ-C30 questionnaire were slightly improved at the end of radiotherapy, which were mitigated at 1-month after radiotherapy and became stable at 3-month following radiotherapy. Pain, insomnia, loss of appetite and diarrhea did not significantly change at the end of radiotherapy, whereas were improved at 1 month after radiotherapy. Nausea and vomiting were aggravated at the end of radiotherapy ( both P＝0. 000), restored to the level before radiotherapy at 1 month after radiotherapy, and the symptoms were similar at 1-and 3-month after radiotherapy. Financial difficulty was worsened at the end of radiotherapy (P＝0. 046), acceptable at 1 month after radiotherapy and worsened at 3 months following radiotherapy. In the QLQ-PAN26 questionnaire, the symptoms of pancreatic pain (backache, nocturnal pain) were mitigated at the end of radiotherapy (P＝0. 009, P＝0. 000), and further alleviated at 1 month after radiotherapy. No significant difference was noted at 1-and 3-month after radiotherapy. The body weight loss was slightly mitigated compared with that before radiotherapy ( P＝ 0. 000 ), and further improved at 1 month after radiotherapy ( P＝0. 024). No significant difference was noted at 1-and 3-month after radiotherapy ( P＝0. 226). Conclusion High-dose hypofractionated radiotherapy can significantly enhance quality of life of pancreatic cancer patients at 1- and 3- month following radiotherapy.This study further demonstrated the clinical value of high-dose hypofractionated radiotherapy in improving the quality of life on the basis of previous studies showing that high-dose hypofractionated radiotherapy can significantly improve the local control rate and survival rate of pancreatic cancer.

MSCT features of intraductal papillary mucinons tumors of the pancreas / 中华内分泌外科杂志

Objective To investigate MSCT features of the intraductal papillary mucinous tumor of the pancreas.Methods The CT findings of 40 cases of intraductal papillary mucinous tumors confirmed by pathology were retrospectively analyzed,and the location,size,shape,edge and enhancement of the tumor were observed.Results Malignant (n=8):all of them were mainly pancreatic duct type,including 6 cases in the head of pancreas and 2 cases in the tail.All of them were multi-room,with 7 cases of cystic wall nodules and 7 cases of uneven septum thickening.The diameter of tumor cystic lesion was(41.0±0.5)mm on average,and the widest diameter of the dilated pancreatic duct was (6.9±1.0) mm.The cystic wall,wall nodule and interval were mild and moderate enhancement in the arterial phase,and continuous strengthening in the portal and delayed phases.Borderline(n=15):8 cases of main pancreatic duct type,1 case of branch pancreatic duct type,and 6 cases of mixed type.There were 10 cases in the head of the pancreas and 5 in the tail of the pancreas.There were 10 cases of multi room in the lesion,and the CT findings were composed of multiple clusters of small cystic lesions,with 3 cases of tuberous nodules on the cyst wall and 4 cases of irregular thickening of the cysts.5 cases were single room type,with capsule wall smooth and whole.The diameter of tumor cystic lesion was (28.0±0.5) mm on average,and the maximum diameter of the dilated pancreatic duct was (5.2±0.3) mm.The cystic wall and interval were mild and moderate enhancement in the arterial phase,and mild and continuous strengthening in the portal and delayed phases.Benign (n=17):1 case of main pancreatic duct type,10 cases of pancreatic duct type and 6 cases of mixed type;There were 12 cases in the head of the pancreas and 5 in the tail.All of them were single cystic type,and the cyst wall was smooth.The diameter of the tumor cystic lesion was (26±0.3) mm on average and the maximum diameter of the dilated pancreatic duct was (3.5±0.4) mm.There was no enhancement of the cystic wall in the arterial phase,mild enhancement in the portal phase,and mild continuous delayed phase in 2 cases,no enhancement in 15 cases.Conclusion MSCT expression of the intraductal papillary mucinous tumor of the pancreas has its characteristic features,which is helpful for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Delayed Hemorrhage from Gastroduodenal Artery Pseudoaneurysm following Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration of Pancreatic Head Mass / 대한췌담도학회지

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a well-established procedure for the diagnosis of pancreatobiliary disease. Serious complications such as perforation, pancreatitis, hemorrhage, and sepsis are rarely reported. To our knowledge, delayed hemorrhage after EUS-FNA is very rare and hemorrhage from iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm has yet to be reported. We report a case of delayed hemorrhage from gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm, which developed after EUS-FNA of a solid pancreatic lesion. A 68-year-old man presented with tarry stool 10 days after EUS-FNA of a 1.5 cm-sized pancreatic head mass. Abdominal computed tomography showed a 2-cm-sized intensely enhancing round lesion near pancreatic head. EUS-FNA was negative for malignancy. The patient refused admission for further evaluation. Twelve days later, he reported to the emergency room with persistent tarry stool. Angiography showed a gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm. Subsequent coil embolization resulted in successful hemostasis. The patient underwent pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy and was diagnosed with stage IIB pancreatic cancer.

Sweet´s syndrome and pancreatic neoplasm: an atypical association

El síndrome de Sweet es una dermatosis inflamatoria poco común, que se ha asociado a tumores malignos, principalmente de tipo hematológico. Presentamos un caso clínico de síndrome de Sweet asociado con una rara neoplasia pancreática, siendo uno de los pocos casos reportados en la literatura médica acerca de esta asociación.

Sweet's syndrome is an uncommon inflammatory dermatosis, which has been associated with malignant tumors, mainly of hematological type. We report a clinical case of Sweet syndrome associated with a rare pancreatic neoplasm, which is one of the few cases reported in the medical literature about this association.

Pancreatic hamartoma in a premature Trisomy 18 female

Pancreatic hamartomas are extremely rare tumors in adults and even more so in children. They are lesions characterized by acinar, islet and ductal components found in varying proportions and in a disorganized pattern. We report a case of a premature female with trisomy 18 diagnosed by amniocentesis. The newborn was delivered by cesarean section at thirty-three weeks of gestation and expired within one hour of birth. Postmortem examination exhibited numerous features associated with Trisomy 18 including lanugo on the torso and arms, micrognathia, microstomia, left low-set ear with small flat pinna, closed ear canal, clenched fists with overlapping fingers, rocker-bottom feet, narrow pelvis, large right diaphragmatic hernia and left pulmonary hypoplasia. Microscopic examination of the pancreas revealed an area, 1.2 cm in greatest dimension, with branching ducts and cysts lined by cuboidal epithelium intermingled within primitive mesenchymal proliferation and exocrine glands. The cysts measured up to 0.2 cm and were surrounded by a collarette of proliferating spindle cells as highlighted by Masson's trichrome stain. A diagnosis of pancreatic hamartoma was rendered. A total of thirty-four cases of pancreatic hamartomas have been reported in the literature including twenty-seven in adults, five in children and two in newborns. Our case may be the third pancreatic hamartoma reported in association with Trisomy 18. We recommend that careful examination of the pancreas be performed in individuals with Trisomy 18 to further characterize this lesion as one of the possible abnormal findings associated with this syndrome.

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma with multi-organ failure presenting as a pancreatic mass: a case with atypical presentation and definite diagnosis postmortem

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a very rare extra nodal lymphoma that tends to proliferate within small blood vessels, particularly capillaries and postcapillary venules while sparing the organ parenchyma. The cause of its affinity for the vascular bed remains unknown. Because of its rarity and unremarkable clinical presentation, a timely diagnosis of IVLBCL is very challenging. Here, we describe a case of IVLBCL presenting as pancreatic mass that was ultimately diagnosed at autopsy. A 71-year-old Caucasian female presented with a 3-month history of fatigue, abdominal pain, and weight loss. She was referred to the emergency room with a new diagnosis of portal vein thrombosis and lactic acidosis. During her hospital course she was found to have a 1.9 × 1.8 cm lesion in the pancreatic tail on imaging; The cytologic specimen on the mass showed a high-grade lymphoma. A bone marrow biopsy showed no involvement. The patient's condition rapidly deteriorated and she, later, died due to multi-organ failure. An autopsy revealed diffuse intravascular invasion in multiple organs by the lymphoma cells. Based on our literature review­and to the best of our knowledge­there are virtually no reports describing the presentation of this lymphoma with a discernible tissue mass and associated multi-organ failure. The immunophenotypic studies performed revealed de novo CD5+ intravascular large B-cell lymphoma, which is known to be aggressive with very poor prognosis. Although it is a very rare lymphoma, it should be considered as a potential cause of multi-organ failure when no other cause has been identified. A prompt tissue diagnosis, appropriate high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation remain the only viable alternative to achieve some kind of remission.

Endocarditis marántica como presentación de cáncer de páncreas: caso clínico / Non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis: report of one case

Marantic or nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis is characterized for the presence of vegetations formed by a meshwork of fibrin and other cellular material similar a blood clot, without the presence of microorganisms. It is often related with tumors and chronic inflammatory states. We report a 49 years old female with a history of weight loss and asthenia, presenting with multiple cerebrovascular attacks and fever. Blood cultures were negative and the fever did not subside with antibiotic treatment. Trans esophageal echocardiogram showed a mitral valve vegetation and thickening of the free edge of both leaflets. In search of the etiology of such a case, a primary pancreatic cancer with distant metastases was found. We cannot rule out the differential diagnosis with bacterial endocarditis with negative blood cultures, although the clinical context supports a non-infectious etiology.