[Adenocarcinoma in heterotopic gastric pancreas]

The development of an adenocarcinoma in heterotopic pancreas of the stomach is uncommon and its diagnosis is difficult. We report the case of a 42 year-old man who was admitted for gastric stasis, related to an antral tumour. He had been treated for Hodgkin's disease by radiation therapy. 16 years ago. Gastrectomy was performed. On light microscopy, the gastric wall was infiltrated by pancreatic ectopic tissue, normal in the submucosa, but dedifferentiated with cytological and architectural criteria of malignancy in the muscular and the serous layers. Malignant transformation of an ectopic pancreas is theoretically possible but is very uncommon. In our case, the role of previous radiation therapy as a promoting factor is discussed.