Pancreatic leiomyosarcoma: clinicopathohistological presentation of a rare tumor

A smooth muscle tumor originating from the pancreas is an extremely rare neoplasm characterized by peculiar histopathologic features and progressive clinical course. We report a case of such a pancreatic neoplasm occurring in a 57-year-old female who underwent surgical resection. The tumor was histologically as well as immunocytochemically analyzed. The spindle cell pattern, vimentin and actin reactivity confirmed smooth muscle differentiation. On the basis of the degree of cellular atypias and the mitotic counts, the malignant potential of the tumor was assessed. Sharp demarcation of the growth appearing characteristic for this type of pancreatic neoplasia with no invasion into the surrounding organs enabled complete excision in spite of the large dimensions of the tumor.