1989 Volume 28 Issue 3 Pages 431-437
Two cases of mucin-producing pancreatic tumor were reported and cytological findings were mentioned.
Case 1: A 72-year-old man was admitted because of right hypochondralgia and lumbar pain. Endoscopic examination showed excretion of mucin from a swollen orifice at the minor papilla of Vater. Retrograde pancreatography through this orifice showed diffuse dilation of the main pancreatic duct and filling defect at the head of the pancreas. Brushing cytology of the duct was performed. The cells were seen in large sheets. Most of the cells were round and chromatine was not increased. Overlapping of cells and anisocytosis were slightly observed. Some irregularly arranged sheets were also seen among them. The cytological diagnosis was suspicious of malignancy. Pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed and histopathological findings showed intraductal papillary carcinoma.
Case 2: A 79-year-old man with esophageal carcinoma was found to have a diffuse dilatation of main pancreatic duct on screening examination by abdominal computed tomography. Endoscopic retrograde pancreatography similarly showed a diffuse dilatation of the duct. One year and five months after these examinations, he died of esophageal carcinoma. Autopsy showed a swollen orifice at the papilla of Vater, mucin secretion from the orifice and diffuse dilatation of main pancreatic duct filled with mucin. A few small polypoid lesions were seen in the dilated pancreatic duct of the tail and stamped cytology was done. The cells were round and did not overlap. An anisocytosis was not seen. Cytological diagnosis was benign and histopathological was mucinous cystadenoma.
