title: Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma: a multi-institutional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The presentation and outcome of patients with acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) of the pancreas compared to the more common ductal cell adenocarcinoma (DCA) may be distinct. This study combines the experience with ACC from multiple academic institutions to better understand its natural history and outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a multi-institutional retrospective review of patients with ACC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 1988 and 2008, 17 patients were identified with pathologically confirmed ACC. Median age at presentation was 59 years. Common presenting symptoms were abdominal pain (60%), back pain (50%), and weight loss (45%). Fifteen patients underwent 16 operations: pancreaticoduodenectomy (nine), distal pancreatectomy (four), and exploratory laparotomy (three). Mean tumor size was 5.3 cm. American Joint Commission on Cancer tumor stages were stage I (two), stage II (eight), stage III (four), and stage IV (three). Overall, 1- and 5-year survival rates were 88% and 50%, respectively. In resected cases (13), 1- and 5-year survival rates were 92% and 53%, respectively. Median survival in resected cases was 61 months. This is in contrast to 1,608 patients with ductal cell adenocarcinoma who underwent resection identified from recent literature reports where the average median survival was only 24 months. There was no discernable difference in the outcomes of patients with ACC between United States and Germany patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas is rare and appears to have a presentation and outcome distinct from the more common pancreatic DCA. Based upon these data, the outcome of patients with ACC is superior to that of DCA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Jesus M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Matos
authors.forename: C Max
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Turrini
authors.forename: Narasimhan P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Agaram
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niedergethmann
authors.forename: Hans Detlev
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Saeger
authors.forename: Nipun
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Merchant
authors.forename: Cynthia S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Keith D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Lillemoe
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grützmann
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D018267:Carcinoma, Acinar Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000379:methods; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents