Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Pancreas with a Long-Term Disease-Free Postoperative Follow-Up: A Case Report and a Review of Literatures

Ryoichi Miyamoto, Masanori Koizumi, Toru Terashima, Koichi Kozaki, Kenji Yuzawa, Takashi Yamaguchi¹⁾, Haruo Ohtani²⁾ and Hamaichi Ueki

Department of Surgery, Department of Gastroenterology¹⁾ and Department of Pathology²⁾, Mito Medical Center, National Hospital Organization

A 57-year-old Japanese woman complained back- and upper left abdominal pain. Computed tomography (CT) analysis revealed an pancreatic tail cancer, 10 cm in diameter, with direct invasion into the spleen and gastric wall. A peri-splenic abscess was formed. The patient underwent distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy, and partial gastrectomy. Pathological analysis with multiple samplings revealed that the tumor was pure squamous cell carcinoma with a marked central degeneration/necrosis. Postoperative whole-body examination showed no other primary tumors, indicating that the tumor was not a metastatic focus from other organs. After undergoing one course of postoperative chemotherapy, this was ceased due to adverse side effects. The patient remains alive without recurrence or distant metastasis 3 years and 1 month after the surgery. Pancreatic squamous cell carcinoma is an extremely rare subtype of pancreatic cancer of ductal origin, with a usually dismal prognosis. Our case is typical in its radiological and pathological findings. Despite its advanced stage, the patient showed a long-term disease-free follow-up. In this sense, the present case is important for clarifying the biological significance of pancreatic squamous cell carcinoma.

Key words
squamous cell carcinoma, pancreas, surgery

Reprint requests
Masanori Koizumi Department of Surgery, Mito Medical Center
280 Sakuranosato, Ibaraki, Higashiibaraki, 311-3193 JAPAN

Accepted
October 28, 2009

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