A case of solid pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas and malignant mesothelioma
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008.
Journal of Gastrointestinal Cancer. 2007;38(2-4):71-3. Epub 2008 Oct 18. [Link]
Hu JC, Brookings W, Aldridge MC.
Department of Surgery, Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, Howlands, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 4HQ, UK.
Abstract
Introduction: A 59-year-old man with previous exposure to asbestos presented with dyspnoea and pleuritic chest pain, had a pleural effusion and was treated for pneumonia. His symptom recurred and was found to have an abdominal mass.
Discussion: An abdominal computerised tomogram revealed pancreatic body mass arising. Pleural fluid cytology and a pleural biopsy failed to demonstrate malignancy. The pancreatic tumour was resected by distal pancreatectomy, segmental colectomy and splenectomy. The tumour was a solid pseudopapillary pancreatic tumour (SPT) with a high metastatic potential. The patient deteriorated and a repeat biopsy of the thickened pleura confirmed malignancy which was initially thought to be metastases from the SPT. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed malignant mesothelioma. The patient developed liver metastases and died 2 years from the diagnosis of metastatic disease.
Glossary
- pleura
- (pler-uh) the membrane around the lungs and lining of the chest cavity. (Pleural mesothelioma.)
- diagnosis
- identifying a disease by its signs or symptoms, and by using imaging procedures and laboratory findings. The earlier a diagnosis of cancer is made, the better the chance for long-term survival.
- cytology
- (cy-tahl-uh-gee) the branch of science that deals with the structure and function of cells.
- cancer
- malignancy; a group of diseases typified by abnormal, generally out-of-control, cell growth.
- biopsy
- (buy-op-see) the removal of a sample of tissue to see whether cancer cells are present. There are several kinds of biopsies. In some, a very thin needle is used to draw fluid and cells from a lump. In a core biopsy, a larger needle is used to remove more tissue.
- mesothelioma
- a tumor derived from mesothelial tissue, such as the peritoneum (lining the abdomen) or pleura (lining the lungs). More on mesothelioma.
- pleural effusion
- an abnormal accumulation of fluid, usually caused by trauma or disease, in the pleural space.
