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Cystic islet cell tumors of the pancreas

A clinico-pathological report of two nonfunctioning cases and review of the literature

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Summary

Cystic islet cell tumors of the pancreas are extremely rare. The authors report their personal experience with two cases of nonfunctioning cystic endocrine neoplasms. The tumor was diagnosed preoperatively in one case by ultrasonography (US)-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology, while in the other it was identified only in the surgical specimen after a clinical-radiologic diagnosis of pancreatic mucinous cystic tumor. Immunohistochemical assay showed positivity for the generic neuroendocrine markers (neuron specific enolase, or NSE, synaptophysin, and chromogranin A) in both cases and also for glucagon in one case. The neoplasms were resected by distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy and intermediate pancreatectomy respectively. Both patients are alive and recurrence-free 6 mo and 2.5 yr, respectively, after surgery. The authors also review the existing literature, discussing the pathogenesis of such tumors and the imaging techniques and surgical strategies adopted in their management.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments, University Hospital, Verona, Italy

    Calogero lacono, Giovanni Serio & Adamo Dagradi

  2. Surgery, University Hospital, Verona, Italy

    Carlo Fugazzola, Andrea Bergamo Ivo Andreis & Marianna Zicari

  3. Pathology, University Hospital, Verona, Italy

    Giuseppe Zamboni & Antonio Jannucci

Authors
  1. Calogero lacono
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  2. Giovanni Serio
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  3. Carlo Fugazzola
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  4. Giuseppe Zamboni
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  5. Andrea Bergamo Ivo Andreis
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  6. Antonio Jannucci
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  7. Marianna Zicari
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  8. Adamo Dagradi
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lacono, C., Serio, G., Fugazzola, C. et al. Cystic islet cell tumors of the pancreas. Int J Pancreatol. 11, 199–208 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02924187

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02924187

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