Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer from Rectal Carcinoma: A Report of a Resected Case

Hiroyuki Hazama, Atsuyuki Maeda, Yukiyasu Okamura, Hiromichi Ishii, Kunio Ogi, Hideyuki Kanemoto, Kazuya Matsunaga and Katsuhiko Uesaka

Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital

A 53-year-old man underwent low anterior resection for rectal cancer in June 2002, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and lung resection for two lung metastases in July 2004. When he became jaundiced in March 2007, total serum bilirubin and carcinoembryonic antigen were elevated. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed a tumor at the pancreatic head with calcification and intrabiliary growth, and dilated pancreatic and bile ducts, necessitating pancreaticoduodenectomy based on a diagnosis of solitary metastatic pancreatic cancer from rectal carcinoma -a rare condition difficult to diagnose preoperatively. Due to the mass with calcification and intrabiliary growth, we suspected this lesion to be metastatic pancreatic cancer. We summarized 25 reported cases of resected metastatic pancreatic cancer in Japan. Twelve patients among 23 survived more than one year after pancreatic resection and five patients died within a year, suggesting that pancreatic resection for metastatic pancreatic cancer can be surgically treated to prolong survival.

Key words
metastatic pancreatic cancer, rectal cancer, pancreaticoduodenectomy

Reprint requests
Hiroyuki Hazama Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital
1007 Shimonagakubo, Nagaizumi-cho, Sunto-gun, 411-8777 JAPAN

Accepted
October 22, 2008

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