title: Inflammatory pseudotumor of the pancreas resembling pancreatic cancer: clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic considerations.
abstract: Pancreatic masses could be malignant or benign. Among these latter inflammatory pseudotumor is an uncommon mass rarely located in the pancreas and it must be considered in differential diagnosis with pancreatic cancer. A case report and literature review of inflammatory pseudotumor were recognized to well known this rare pathology regarding its clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and histopathological feature. Twenty-one cases of inflammatory pseudotumor in the adult were reviewed from the literature; 10 (47.6%) were female, 11 (52.3%) male; mean age 53.3 years (range 23-73). They were solid single mass in 18 cases, with median size of 5.1 cm (range 1.5-13), cystic mass in one case; 18 were located in the head, 1 in the body. In 2 cases it appeared as a volumetric increase of the pancreas. Diagnosis was possible only histologically and surgical treatment was mandatory in 20 cases; only in one patient a corticosteroid treatment was performed. Pancreatic inflammatory pseudotumor is a rare lesion of the pancreas but it must be distinguished from pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic resectioning is mainly due to the preoperative diagnostic difficulties that must be resolved surely only with histopathological examination of the specimen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Anaesthesiology Sciences, I Surgical Clinic, University of Bologna S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Casadei
authors.forename: Lida
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Piccoli
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Valeri
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Santini
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zanini
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Minni
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marrano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006104:Granuloma, Plasma Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D013997:Time Factors; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography