Non ductal-adenocarcinoma neoplasms of the pancreas

Pancreatic Non Ductal-Adenocarcinoma Neoplasms (PNDAN) represent about 20% of pancreatic and periampullary tumors and should be considered in differential diagnosis with ductal adenocarcinoma in the presence of isolated pancreatic mass. From January 1992 to December 1998, 238 patients were operated on for pancreatic and periampullary masses. Fifty-five patients had PNDAN: 24 endocrine tumors, 7 serous cystadenomas, 6 intraductal papillary-mucinous tumors, 5 acinar carcinomas, 4 mucinous cystadenomas, 3 metastatic tumors, 2 cystic papillary tumors, 2 solid cystadenocarcinomas, 1 neurilemmoma, and 1 pancreatoblastoma; 19 were benign and 36 were malignant or borderline tumors. A correct preoperative diagnosis was obtained in 58% of the cases. In all other cases, diagnosis was achieved intraoperatively. Major (18 pancreaticoduodenectomies, 17 left splenopancreatectomies, 1 total pancreatectomy) and minor resections (5 central pancreatectomy, 10 enucleations) were performed; curative surgical operations were carried out on 39/55 patients (curative resectability: 71%). Operative mortality and morbidity were 1.8% and 21.8%, respectively. Three and 5-year actuarial survival for malignant or borderline PNDANs are 65% and 40% versus 31% (3-year) for ductal adenocarcinoma of pancreatic head treated by pancreaticoduodenectomy (p-value = 0.03). We believe that pancreatic masses that are not ductal adenocarcinomas, can be aggressively resected even if large in size, resulting in a better outcome than ductal adenocarcinoma itself.