Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the pancreas: report of a case

We present herein the case of a 64-year-old man diagnosed as having a mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the pancreas. The tumor originated in the tail of the pancreas and invaded the spleen, left adrenal gland, left kidney, and transverse colon. Liver and peritoneal metastases were also noted. Despite surgical treatment and adjuvant chemotherapy, the disease progressed rapidly and the patient died of cachexia 4 months after his initial diagnosis. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the pancreas is a rare entity, and is believed to be a form of adenosquamous carcinoma known as adenoacanthoma. However, in this patient, no differentiated squamous cell component could be detected. In fact, the tumor was composed of mucin-producing cells, epidermoid cells, and intermediate cells. Immunohistochemical staining for the carcinoembryonic antigen, CA19-9, and SPan-1 demonstrated a production of cancerous mucin in the epidermoid cells, suggesting that mucoepidermoid carcinoma may arise from the squamoid metaplasia of an adenocarcinoma.