[Cystic neoplasm of the pancreas: analysis of 24 cases]

Cystic neoplasms are an uncommon group among pancreatic tumors. These lesions are seen more frequently in recent surgical practice, probably because of advances in diagnostic and surgical techniques. We report 24 patients with cystic tumors of the pancreas, including twelve patients with serous cystadenoma, ten with mucinous cystadenoma and two patients with mucinous cystadenocarcinoma. Twenty-two patients were women and two were man. The median age of patients was 53.5 years (range, 21 to 80 years). Mild abdominal pain was the main symptom; in 71% of patients and weight loss in 29% of patients. The lesions were incidental findings 8% of patients. The mean size of the cysts was 7.8 cm (range, 2.3 to 15cm). Eleven cystic neoplasms were located in the head, three in the neck, five in the body, two in the tail of pancreas and three in the body and tail. All patients underwent surgical exploration. There was no perioperative mortality. Total tumor resection provides the best chance of cure and may remove the risk of malignant transformation of the cystadenomas, particularly of the mucinous type.