[Cystic neoplasm of the pancreas: a ten years experience]

Pancreatic cystic lesions (PCL) are identified in 1 % of patients who undergo abdominal computed tomography scans, because it is difficult to discriminate clinically between benign and malignant PCL. The PCL must be distinguished from inflammatory pseudocysts, which can have a similar radiographic appearance. The aim of this study was to review the incidence of PCL during 10 years.

Nineteen consecutive patients who underwent surgical resection of a cystic lesion of the pancreas during a 10-year period were reviewed.

From 1998, 434 patients underwent to pancreatic surgery, 103 (25.75%) resulted with neoplasm of the pancreas and a PCL was diagnosed in 19 of them (18.44%). They were more common in women (n=15, 79%). The pathologic diagnosis was mucinous cystadenoma (n=6, 31.5%) followed by serous cystadenoma and solid cystic papilar tumor (n=4, 21%). Mucinous cystadenocarcinoma was diagnosed in a 77 year-old man and a serous cystadenocarcinoma was diagnosed in a 53 years-old woman; cystic degeneration of two insulinomas were diagnosed in a 71 year-old woman and a 32 year-old man (5.26%).

PCLs represent a spectrum of associated diseases. The incidence of serous cystadenoma is lower in our experience.