Cystic neoplasms of the pancreas are rare tumors with a relatively better prognosis as compared with other solid pancreatic cancers. We retrospectively reviewed 28 patients with cystic neoplasms of the pancreas who were admitted to the surgical
department at Asan Medical Center from June, 1989 to December, 1995.
There were 6 serous cystadenomas, 5 mucinous cystadenomas, 3 mucinous cystadeno-carcinomas and 4 papillary cystic neoplasms. Their mean age was 49 years(17 to 79 years), and fourteen of the patients(78%) were women.
Major symptoms were abdominal pain(61%), abdominal mass(28%), and indigestion(22%).
The location of lesions were tail in 8 cases, head in 5 cases, and body & tail in 5 cases.
The mean diameter of the cysts were 7.1cm and it was greater in order of mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, papillary cystic neoplasm, mucinous cystadenoma, and seroud cyst adenoma.
Regarding the surgical procedures, distal pancreatectomy was performed in 10 cases, pancreaticoduodenectomy in 5 cases, segmental resection of pancreas in 1 case, local excision in 1 case and percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy only in 1 case
only. Of
these 18 patients, 16 patients were alive without recurrence during mean follow up of 22.5 months (2.4~57.7 months). One patients of mucinous cystadenocarcinoma with bone metastasis died of pneumonia at 2.4 months after diagnosis. One patients
was
lost
to follow up.
We conclude that cystic neoplasms of the pancreas have good prognosis and are curable if the lesions are diagnosed early and completely resected, whereas advanced mucinous cystadenocarcinoma behave like a solid pancreas cancer showing a distant
metastasis.
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