Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas

Abstract

Background: Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas is a rare condition that affects young women. The most common symptom is unspecific abdominal pain. It is a malignant tumor of low malignant potential. Objective: The aim of this study is to report a case series of patients treated in a single center and perform a bibliographic review. Material and methods: We conducted a retrospective study of the cases with pathological diagnosis of solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas treated in the Department of General Surgery between February 2013 and September 2019. The following variables were analyzed; age, sex, tumor location, surgical treatment, operative time, complications, length of hospital stay and long-term follow-up. Results: Nine patients were included; all of them were women with mean age of 30 years (range: 20 - 70 years). The most common location of the tumor was the tail of the pancreas (n = 4; 45%). Surgery was performed in all the cases; five cases underwent video-assisted laparoscopy and spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy was the technique more commonly used (n = 6). Three complications were recorded: two abdominal collections due to biliary leaks were trated by percutaneous approach and the other patient presented delayed gastric emptying and required prolonged hospitalization. Conclusion: Solid pseudopapillary tumor pf the pancreas is a rare low-grade malignant neoplasm. The prognosis is favorable after surgery and laparoscopy is the preferred approach in centers with experience.