[Clinicopathological and diagnostic study of mucin producing pancreatic tumors]

A total of 80 cases (40 operated cases and 40 follow-up cases) of mucin producing tumor (MPT) of the pancreas was studied to elucidate its clinicopathologic characteristics and assess therapeutic strategy. This disease was encountered histologically in various such as hyperplasia and carcinoma with invasion. 75% of carcinoma cases of branch duct type were accompanied by intraductal spread to the main duct and most of those cases had intraductal extension of less than 5mm in length to the main duct. Multicentricity was found in 28.6% of carcinoma cases. Parenchymal invasion was observed in 28.6% of carcinoma cases and lymph node involvement was seen in one case. Thus, prognosis of the patients with MPT was better than that with "common" duct cell carcinoma of the pancreas. Among diagnostic modalities, Selective ERP and EUS were useful especially in demonstrating precise pancreatograms and excrescent nodules. For histocytologic diagnosis prior surgery, EPB proved very useful in combination with pancreatic juice cytology.