Surgical treatment of non–functioning pancreatic tumor

Abstract

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors have a rare annual incidence in the general population and they are classified into functional and non-functional tumors. Non-functioning tumors represent the majority. We report an uncommon non-functional neoplasm that developed into the pancreatic isthmus. A 70-year-old woman presented at the hospital with abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. The abdominal echography revealed a hypoechoic mass of 65/54 mm with dilatation of the upstream Wirsung duct. Non-contrast-enhanced computed tomographic demonstrated a well-enhanced mass of 4/5/6.5 cm on the head of the pancreas. An endocrine tumor of the pancreas was considered as a preoprerative diagnosis and pancreatectomy was performed with pancreato-jejunum anastomosis- the Beger surgery. As a result, a non-functional endocrine tumor of the pancreas was confirmed anatomo-pathologically. The clinical manifestation of non-functioning endocrine pancreatic tumors is characterized by nonspecific symptoms. They represent a group of neoplasms which can delay the real diagnosis. Currently, CT scans are most used for detection. A rare case of non-functional neuroendocrine pancreatic neoplasm with extensive growth within the head and isthmus part of the pancreas was presented. An early detection of non-functioning endocrine neoplasm of the pancreas is very important and curative resection should be tried for a good prognosis.