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α-Fetoprotein-producing adenocarcinoma of the pancreas presenting focal hepatoid differentiation

International Journal of Pancreatology volume 26, pages 43–47 (1999)Cite this article

Summary

We report a rare case of pancreatic carcinoma producing α-fetoprotein (AFP), showing focal hepatoid differentiation in metastatic lymph nodes. A 65-yr-old female was admitted because of abdominal pain. The serum AFP was measured at 16,170 ng/mL. Radiological examinations revealed a mass measuring 6 cm in diameter in the body and tail of the pancreas. A right supraclavicular lymphadenopathy was found and biopsied. Light microscopy showed a tumor consisting of a portion of a hepatoid area and well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, which was suggestive of a hepatoid adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the tumor cells expressed AFP, α1-antitrypsin (AT) and albumin. Although the pathological diagnosis of the primary pancreatic tumor was not obtained, this appears to be the first case of hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

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Affiliations

  1. Third Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical College, 4-5 Nishikagura, 078-8510, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan

    Satoshi Tanno, Takeshi Obara, Tsuneshi Fujii, Tsutomu Izawa, Yusuke Mizukami, Yusuke Saitoh, Hitoshi Ura & Yutaka Kohgo

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  1. Satoshi Tanno
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  2. Takeshi Obara
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  3. Tsuneshi Fujii
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  4. Tsutomu Izawa
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  5. Yusuke Mizukami
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  6. Yusuke Saitoh
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  7. Hitoshi Ura
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  8. Yutaka Kohgo
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Correspondence to Takeshi Obara.

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Tanno, S., Obara, T., Fujii, T. et al. α-Fetoprotein-producing adenocarcinoma of the pancreas presenting focal hepatoid differentiation. International Journal of Pancreatology 26, 43–47 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1385/IJGC:26:1:43

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/IJGC:26:1:43

Key Words

  • Hepatoid
  • adenocarcinoma
  • pancreas
  • α-fetoprotein
  • metastasis
  • lymph node