Gastric cancer with concurrent pancreatic schwannoma: A case report

BACKGROUND: The differential diagnosis of abdominal masses is somewhat troublesome, especially when there is a malignancy to be evaluated. We report herein a unique case of gastric adenocarcinoma concurrent with a pancreatic schwannoma. Correct assessment of intraoperative findings is essential for adequate tumor staging and to decide the proper management of a concurrent pancreatic lesion. CASE SUMMARY: Computed tomography scan performed for gastric cancer staging revealed a solid and cystic pancreatic mass that had no signs of local invasiveness. Surgical resection of the pancreas was decided preoperatively since a radical approach of the gastric tumor could be performed. There were no signs of distant metastases, and the large pancreatic mass was in contact with the posterior gastric wall. Histopathological study revealed a pancreatic schwannoma, which is an uncommon neoplasm that arises from Schwann cells around peripheral nerves. CONCLUSION: Therefore, pancreatic masses deserve special attention regarding the differential diagnosis in patients with gastric cancer. The presence of a large pancreatic mass should not preclude the potentially curative intent of the gastric cancer treatment.