Clear cell carcinoma of the pancreas: an adenocarcinoma with ductal phenotype.
OBJECTIVE
Primary clear cell carcinoma of the pancreas resembling metastatic renal carcinoma has only rarely been described. To date it has been poorly characterized as a distinct tumour entity.


RESULTS
We report a case of clear cell carcinoma in a 53-year-old man involving the head of the pancreas and which had a small intraductal papillary component. The clear cell portion comprised about 90% of the tumour mass. It showed predominantly a solid growth pattern with a few scattered tubular structures. Immunocytochemically the tumour cells stained positively for cytokeratins 7, 8, 18 and 19, whereas the reaction for vimentin and neuroendocrine markers was negative. K-ras analysis revealed a point mutation at codon 12 with mutation of GGT to GAT.


CONCLUSIONS
The intraductal tumour component of this clear cell carcinoma as well as the cytokeratin pattern and the K-ras mutation suggest that this rare type of pancreatic cancer has a ductal phenotype.
Lüttges
J
J
Department of Pathology, University of Kiel, Germany.
Vogel
I
I
Menke
M
M
Henne-Bruns
D
D
Kremer
B
B
Klöppel
G
G
D018262:Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D017354:Point Mutation; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis
D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D007633:Keratins