A case of acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas with thrombocytopenia

Abstract

A 55-year-old man was referred to our hospital for the investigation of thrombocytopenia, which had been first noted 17 months prior. Laboratory data on admission showed a low platelet count (7.8×10⁴/μl). Tumor markers were normal. Abdominal CT showed a large tumor (7.5 cm in diameter) of the pancreatic tail, which invaded the spleen and occluded the splenic vein. FDG-PET showed abnormal uptake in the pancreatic tumor. Under the diagnosis of pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma, a distal pacreatectomy and a splenectomy were performed. On histopathology, the preoperative diagnosis was confirmed. The patient is doing well and is without recurrence 12 months after surgery. It is well known that splenic vein occlusion results in splenomegaly and thrombocytopenia. However, thrombocytopenia as the initial presentation of pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma as occurred in our case has not been previously reported. Herein we report this rare case and review of the literature.