Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms of the pancreas: clinicopathologic features and surgical treatment of 19 cases

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPNs) of the pancreas are very rare neoplasms. The present study is to summarize our experience of the diagnosis, surgical treatment and prognosis of SPNs. The clinical data of 19 cases that underwent surgery for pathologically confirmed SPNs, admitted in our hospital from Mar. 2007 to Mar. 2013, were analyzed retrospectively. The clinicopathologic feature, surgical treatment and prognosis were described in detail. The 19 patients were 17 females and 2 males, with a median age of 29 years. All patients had curative resections, including eight distal pancreatectomies with splenectomy, four spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomies, two pancreaticoduodenectomies, two pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomies, two duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resections and one central pancreatectomy. The tumors were 6.3 cm in diameter on average, and were mostly located in the body or tail of the pancreas (63.2%). Pathologically, the tumors contained a mixture of solid, cystic, and pseudopapillary patterns in various proportions. None of the patients had lymph nodes metastases and local invasion. All patients were alive and disease-free at a median follow-up of 38.4 months. SPNs are rare neoplasms, typically affecting young women without notable symptoms, with a low malignant potential but excellent prognosis. Radical surgical resection with clear margins is the treatment of choice.