The solid-pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas: the clinical characteristics and surgical treatment

Since being named and reclassified by WHO in 1996, solid-pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of pancreas has been recognized as a special entitative disease that is different from pancreatic cancer and should be recognized and treated more accurately in the surgical process. The clinic characteristics and surgical strategy on 25 cases of SPT of pancreas from the authors' center are discussed.

The clinical pathology and the surgical methods of 25 SPTs were retrospectively studied. The analyses were performed by the statistical software package SAS6.12.

No tumor recurrences were found in all patients. There was significant difference between operative types in radical resection and the tumor position of the pancreas (P = 0.0011). The judgment on the tumor's boundary could directly affect the adoptable operative types (P = 0.0099).

As a uniquely entitative disease, SPT is a kind of uncommon neoplasm with low-grade malignancy with a strong rate of occurrence in women. Surgical resection is most favorable in the treatment of SPT, which has excellent prognosis. The course of SPT, the possible malignant cells by the frozen section biopsy, and the tumor's boundary are important for operators to decide an operative scheme. SPT that has infiltrated contiguous vessels, organs, even with local liver metastasis should not be regarded as operative contraindication. The choice of the local tumor resection, the part of pancreas resection or radical resection depends on the judgment of the tumor's boundary, whereas operative types in radical resection depend on the tumor position of the pancreas.