[A resected case of pleomorphic carcinoma of pancreatic head]

A 41-year-old man was admitted to the hospital complaining of back pain and progressive jaundice. Ultrasonography, CT and hypotonic duodenography revealed a large and well-defined tumor in the head of pancreas. The tumor was hypervascular on angiography. Total pancreatectomy was performed, and the examination of the resected specimen disclosed that the tumor was 50 X 45 mm in size and extrapancreatic tumor-forming type. Histopathologically, the tumor comprized mostly bizzare mono- and multinucleated giant cells with sarcomatous growth pattern. The patient died 6 months after operation due to liver metastasis and peritoneal dissemination. The pathological feature of the pleomophic carcinoma of the pancreas is well-known, but the clinical feature is vague because the resected cases are rare. The pathological finding of the specimen of this case is typical and it is considered that the clinical findings of this case, such as well-defined and hypervascular tumor, are characteristic of the pleomorphic carcinoma of the pancreas.