title: Serous neoplasms of the pancreas constitute a continuous spectrum of morphological patterns rather than distinct clinico-pathological variants. A study of 40 cases.
abstract: Serous neoplasms (SN) of the pancreas account for 1-2% of all pancreatic tumours. Six morphological variants of SN were previously recognized: serous microcystic (cyst)adenoma, serous macrocystic (cyst)adenoma, von Hippel-Lindau-associated serous cystic neoplasm, solid serous adenoma/neoplasm, mixed serous-neuroendocrine neoplasm and serous cystadenocarcinoma. It was recently postulated that SN shows a continuous spectrum of morphological patterns rather than distinct clinico-pathological subtypes. To address this issue, we performed a detailed review of 40 SN cases diagnosed at our institution between 1989 and 2011. We found 11 cases of serous microcystic (cyst)adenoma, 5 cases of serous macrocystic (cyst)adenoma, and a single case of von Hippel-Lindau-associated serous cystic neoplasm. Apart from that, we found 20 cases of SN which showed features of both microcystic and macrocystic (cyst)adenomas, 2 cases of small 'incipient' SN and a single case of a mixed microcystic and solid adenoma. In conclusion, we showed that 'borderline' lesions among SNs truly exist and are not rare. The reason for such a wide diversity of morphological patterns of SN remains unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pająk
authors.forename: Łukasz
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Liszka
authors.forename: Sławomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mrowiec
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zielińska-Pająk
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gołka
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lampe
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006623:von Hippel-Lindau Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery