Endocrine tumor of the pancreas: Impact of the endoscopic retrograde pancreatography findings

Abstract

Clinicopathological findings and pancreatography of thirteen patients (male : female=7 : 6) with nonfunctioning endocrine tumors(ET) of the pancreas were reviewed. Abnormal endoscopic retrograde pancreatography(ERP) findings were observed in eight cases (62%). Tumors with lymphatic invasion, venous invasion and/or splenic vein invasion were defined as malignant ET. Four malignant ET showed abnormal ERP findings, while five ET without any ERP findings were all histologically benign. A relationship between ERP findings and histological malignant potential is suggested. Histological examination revealed that changes of the main pancreatic duct(MPD) could be classified into three patterns; 1) tumor compression of the MPD (n=3), 2) tumor infiltration into the MPD (n=2), 3) tumor with fibrous stroma proliferating around the MPD (n=3). Tumors showing the last histological findings were all immunoreactive to serotonin antibody, therefore these tumors were those of classical enterochromaffin cell carcinoid tumors.