title: Pancreatic cystic neoplasms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cystic neoplasms of the pancreas are rare and constitute approximately 0.5% of all pancreatic neoplasms.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study was to describe clinicopathological features of pancreatic cystic tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  In our retrospective study, we reviewed 10 cases of pancreatic cystic neoplasms that were diagnosed at the pathology department of Mongi Slim hospital over a 14-year period (2000-2013). We adopted the latest World Health Organization (WHO) classification (2010) in grouping all tumors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were one male and nine female patients (sex ratio M/F = 1:9) aged between 21 and 68 years (mean = 37.5 years). The most common clinical presentation was epigastric and abdominal pain (n = 6) followed by vomiting (n = 3). Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan disclosed a cystic lesion of the pancreas ranging in size between 2 and 10 cm (mean = 6.75 cm). All patients underwent surgical treatment. Histopathological examination of the surgical specimen established the diagnosis of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (n = 2), serous cystic neoplasm (n = 2), mucinous cystadenoma (n = 4), mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (n = 1), and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm with invasive carcinoma (n = 1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Better understanding of pancreatic cystic neoplasms is essential for clinicians to make accurate diagnosis and to provide the best management for patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Mongi Slim Hospital, Université de Tunis El Manar, Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, La Marsa, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Faten
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Limaiem
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Mongi Slim Hospital, Université de Tunis El Manar, Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, La Marsa, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Tahar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Khalfallah
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mongi Slim Hospital, Université de Tunis El Manar, Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, La Marsa, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Leila Ben
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Farhat
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Mongi Slim Hospital, Université de Tunis El Manar, Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, La Marsa, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Saâdia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bouraoui
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Mongi Slim Hospital, Université de Tunis El Manar, Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, La Marsa, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ahlem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lahmar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Mongi Slim Hospital, Université de Tunis El Manar, Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, La Marsa, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sabeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mzabi
keywords: Immunohistochemistry; Mucinous cystic neoplasms; Pancreas; Serous cystic neoplasms; Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm