title: Solid tumors of the pancreas can put on a mask through cystic change.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Solid pancreatic tumors such as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT), and pancreatic endocrine tumor (PET) may occasionally manifest as cystic lesions. In this study, we have put together our accumulated experience with cystic manifestations of various solid tumors of the pancreas.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 2000 to 2006, 376 patients with pancreatic solid tumor resections were reviewed. Ten (2.66%) of these tumors appeared on radiological imaging studies as cystic lesions. We performed a retrospective review of medical records and pathologic findings of these 10 cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the ten cases in which solid tumors of the pancreas manifested as cystic lesions, six were PDAC with cystic degeneration, two were SPT undergone complete cystic change, one was cystic PET, and one was a cystic schwannoma. The mean tumor size of the cystic portion in PDAC was 7.3 cm, and three patients were diagnosed as 'pseudocyst' with or without cancer. Two SPT were found incidentally in young women and were diagnosed as other cystic neoplasms. One cystic endocrine tumor was preoperatively suspected as intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm or mucinous cystic neoplasm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cystic changes of pancreas solid tumors are extremely rare. However, the possibility of cystic manifestation of pancreas solid tumors should be kept in mind.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. pancreas@skku.edu
authors.forename: Kwang Yeol
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Paik
authors.forename: Seong Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jin Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Dong Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000175:diagnosis; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D018293:Cystadenoma, Serous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome