[Frantz's tumor: anatomoclinical study of six Tunisian cases]

Solid and pseudopapillary tumour (Frantz's tumour) is a rare low-grade neoplasm of the pancreas. We report six new cases. Our objective is to specify clinical and pathological characteristics of this rare neoplasm and to discuss its histogenesis. A retrospective review was considered on six Tunisan patients who had solid and pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas. A review of medical registries and morphological analysis with immunohistochemical study were carried out in all cases. Four patients were female and two patients were male with a median age of 27,5 years (range: 14 - 68 years). Abdominal pain was the most common initial symptoms (5 cases/6). Abdominal computed tomography and/or ultrasonography was used in all the cases. The tumour was in the tail of the pancreas in 4 patients and in the body of the pancreas in one patient; one tumor involved all the pancreas. The median diameter of the tumour was 16,8 cm (range: 8 - 35 cm). Three tumours had an extrapancreatic extension. All patients underwent surgical resection. No adjuvant therapy was recommended. The mean follow up period was 24 months (range: 5 - 78 months). Only one patient died during the surgery. Except for this patient, none experienced tumor recurrence or tumor-related mortality during the follow up period. Solid and pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas is an uncommon neoplasm which shows distinct clinicopathologically characteristics. Despite diverse studies, its histogenesis remains undetermined. This tumor should be distinguished from other pancreatic neoplasms because its prognosis is excellent after surgical resection.