[An autopsy case of a so-called carcinosarcoma of the pancreas]

A case of a "so-called carcinosarcoma" of the pancreas that occurred in a 48-year-old female is reported. At autopsy, the pancreatic tumor was seen to have deeply invaded the gastric wall, causing ulceration. The pancreatic tumor consisted of two different histological components: a squamous cell carcinoma and spindle-cell sarcomatous tumor cells. Transitional areas between the two different tumor cells were also present. Since there were transitional areas and a lack of definitive electron microscopic evidence favoring a sarcoma in the sarcomatous tumor cells, the pancreatic tumor was considered to represent a "so-called carcinosarcoma".