title: Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas.
abstract: Four cases of acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas are reported. An acinar cell carcinoma can resemble an islet cell tumor by routine light microscopy but the two differ considerably in their fine structure and immunostaining properties. Although cells of both tumors contain numerous dense-core granules, their size ranges are different, and atypical forms occur in the acinar cell tumors, including elongated bodies filled with filaments. Many mitochondria-rough endoplasmic reticulum complexes were present in one tumor. In a liver metastasis, nests of endocrine cells were discovered amid the groups of acinar cells, and some of the endocrine granules contained rectangular cores.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Ordóñez
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mackay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018267:Carcinoma, Acinar Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D018870:Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*