Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma with excessive alpha-fetoprotein expression.
We report a case of acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas associated with excessively elevated levels of serum alpha-fetoprotein (>32,000 ng/ml). Abdominal computed tomography scan revealed a large pancreatic mass with infiltration of the splenic artery. Because of inoperability, palliative combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and mitomycin C was administered. This regimen was associated with clinical improvement and dramatic decreases in both tumor size and serum alpha-fetoprotein. However, the patient died 7 months later from acute severe cardiac failure.
Kolb-van Harten
P
P
Department of Internal Medicine, Israelitic Hospital, University of Hamburg Academic Hospital, Hamburg, Germany.
Rosien
U
U
Klöppel
G
G
Layer
P
P
D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018267:Carcinoma, Acinar Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D016685:Mitomycin; D000093542:Gemcitabine