Pleomorphic carcinoma of the pancreas: computed-tomographic, sonographic, and pathologic findings

We present a series of eight cases of pleomorphic carcinoma of the pancreas, an uncommon lesion that contains bizarre giant cells and resembles sarcoma histologically. To our knowledge, this entity has not been described in the radiological literature. Clinical symptoms are similar to those of the usual pancreatic ductal cell carcinoma, but at presentation the primary tumor mass is usually large, and widespread metastatic disease is present. The most striking finding is massive lymphadenopathy, which may mimic lymphoma. A combination of clinical history, imaging findings, and results of percutaneous biopsy should lead to the proper diagnosis and may help to differentiate this entity from others that may affect lymph nodes.