A peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor originating from the pancreas: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract

A peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (pPNET) is a small round cell tumor occurring mostly in children or young adults and categorized into the Ewing sarcoma family of tumors. pPNETs originating from the pancreas are especially rare, and only 25 cases have been reported in the literature. We report a case of a 22-year-old man who had a giant expansive tumor located in the uncinate process of the pancreas, 80 mm in diameter resulting in obstruction in the duodenum. The patient underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy. The histological examination showed that the pancreatic tumor was composed of atypical small round cells. Immunohistochemical findings were positive for CD99. An Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1 gene 22q12 rearrangement was proven by a two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization assay. We diagnosed the tumor as a pPNET of the pancreas, which, according to the literature, is highly aggressive with poor prognosis. A multidisciplinary approach to treat these neoplasms should improve the prognoses.