Pancreatic Fungal Ball Presenting as Pseudomass

Naomi Chou1, Rebecca Burbridge2, Sarah Karram3

  • 1Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.

Insights

Pancreatic fungal infections are rare but can mimic cancer. Surgical resection of a fungal mass in the pancreas led to improved patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Surgical Oncology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Pancreatic fungal infections typically occur with predisposing conditions like necrotizing pancreatitis, cysts, or abscesses.
  • Fungal infections of the pancreas are uncommon in the absence of these factors.
  • These infections can present symptomatically and radiographically similar to pancreatic neoplasms.

Observation:

  • A 48-year-old male presented with epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss.
  • Imaging revealed a potential mass in the pancreatic head.
  • The patient underwent a Whipple procedure for suspected pancreatic malignancy.

Findings:

  • Histopathological examination of the resected pancreatic mass revealed a fungal collection.
  • Inflammatory cells were present, but no evidence of malignancy was found.
  • The patient's symptoms resolved post-operatively.

Implications:

  • This case highlights that pancreatic fungal infections can occur without typical predisposing factors.
  • It underscores the importance of considering fungal infection in the differential diagnosis of pancreatic masses.
  • Surgical management can be effective for treating pancreatic fungal collections.