A Persistent Solid Pseudopapillary Tumor of the Pancreas: Case Report and Brief Literature Review

Background: Solid pseudopapillary tumors (SPTs) of the pancreas are uncommon neoplasms, first reported in 1934, well described by Frantz in 1959, and later further characterized by Hamoudi in 1970. Ninety percent of these tumors occur in young females in their second to third decade of life. An interesting case of a persistent solid pseudopapillary neoplasm is described in this report. Case presentation: A 24-year-old woman from a Middle Eastern country presented with an 8.2 × 7.6 cm heterogeneous-enhancing lesion growing within the uncinate process of the pancreas. She had first experienced symptoms at the age of 12 years. Imaging studies showed that the mass closely abutted the superior mesenteric vein as well as the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). The patient underwent an open cholecystectomy and a classic pancreaticoduodenectomy. During the resection, the SMA was transected due to tumor adherence. The vessel was subsequently reapproximated in an end-to-end manner. On the first postoperative day, thrombosis of the SMA occurred and a bile leak developed. The patient returned to the operating room for SMA embolectomy and for repair of a hepaticojejunostomy leak, with redo of the biliary-enteric anastomosis. Histopathological examination showed solid pseudopapillary-arranged cells and cystic areas, showing strong cellular immunoreactivity for CD56, CD10, vimentin, and β-catenin, and weak diffuse staining for synaptophysin. The tumor stained negative for chromogranin A, trypsin, AE1/AE3, and E-cadherin. Molecular genetic analysis was negative for the MYB gene deletion. At nearly 1 year of follow-up, the patient is well with no evidence of tumor recurrence. Conclusion: SPTs of the pancreas should be included in the differential diagnosis of pancreatic tumors, especially in young women.