Abstract
Objectives: Anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas (ACP) is an aggressive variant of ductal adenocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to describe a single-center experience with the use of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with or without fine-needle aspiration (FNA) for the diagnosis of ACP. Methods: The cytology and surgical pathology databases were searched for a diagnosis of ACP between 1992 and 2008. Demographic, clinical, surgical, radiographic, pathological, and EUS data were abstracted. Results: Thirteen patients with ACP were identified, which represented 0.8% of all pancreatic cancers diagnosed during the study period. Six of 13 patients had EUS. Features of these 6 tumors: median diameter of 42 mm (range, 20-100 mm), hypoechoic (n = 6), solid (n = 3) or mixed solid and cystic (n = 3), heterogeneous (n = 5) or homogeneous (n = 1), and well defined (n = 2) or poorly defined (n = 4) borders. Five underwent EUS-FNA of a pancreatic mass, and cytology demonstrated ACP in 4 and ductal adenocarcinoma in 1. The diagnosis of ACP was confirmed after surgical resection in 2 of these 5, including one in whom cytology demonstrated only adenocarcinoma. The sixth patient had EUS without FNA, and surgical pathology after distal pancreatectomy found ACP. Conclusions: Anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas has variable endosonographic features. Endoscopic ultrasound-FNA may assist in the cytological diagnosis of these tumors.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 88-91 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Pancreas |
Volume | 39 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2010 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas
- Endoscopic ultrasound
- Fine-needle aspiration
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Internal Medicine
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
- Hepatology
- Endocrinology