[Cystic papillary tumors of the pancreas: 3 new cases]

Three cases of papillary cystic tumor of the pancreas (PCTP) are described. They were observed in two female patients aged 42 and 39, and in a male patient aged 55. A fine-needle ultrasound-guided aspiration biopsy was performed in the man. The cytologic and histologic features turned out to be diagnostic and in compliance with literature data. In the three cases immunohistochemical analyses showed positive reaction to vimentin and alpha-1-antitrypsin. Two cases expressed neuron-specific enolase. Ultrastructural examination revealed similarities between neoplastic cells and normal centroacinar cells of the pancreas. Flow cytometric study revealed a diploid G0/1 peak in two cases. The patients underwent wide surgical excision of the neoplasia. No recurrences or metastases are found with follow-up of 10 years, 8 years and 10 month respectively.