Resectable pleomorphic giant cell carcinoma of the pancreas

We present a 72-yr-old woman who underwent surgical resection of a large pancreatic tumor. On preoperative imaging, an intratumoral cavity containing necrotic tissue was noted, mimicking the appearance of a cystic tumor. There was no invasion of adjacent organs nor distant metastasis, and histopathologic examination revealed the tumor to be a giant cell carcinoma. Postoperatively, the patient has been followed for 1.5 yr without evidence of recurrence. Giant cell carcinoma generally is associated with a poor prognosis, and patients usually die within months despite intensive multimodality therapy. Some patients with giant cell carcinomas, however, achieve long-term survival when invasion of adjacent organs and distant metastases are absent. Surgical resection is the appropriate treatment for tumors with these favorable characteristics.