Pseudopapillary pancreatic tumor, usually benign but 15% are malignant (liver metastases). Represents 0.3 to 2.7 % of tumors of the exocrine pancreas of the adult and 25% of the tumors of the pancreas in children. This pathology especially affects 20 and 30 years old young women. The tumour seems most common in Asian populations.

The tumor in general paucisymptomatic: vague abdominal pain, abdominal mass, compression of the digestive tract, rarely bleeding (intratumoral or peritoneal).

Xrays: well circumscribed tumor, thick capsule,  heterogeneous content; epigastric microcalcifications are sometimes observed.

Treatment: surgical resection should be complete.

Anesthetic implications:

major abdominal surgery (cephalic or caudal pancreatectomy)

References : 

-        Canzonieri V, Benetta M, Buonadonna A et al.
Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas.
Lancet Oncol 2003; 4: 255-6

-        de Lagausie P, Samacki S, Orbach D, Petit P, Joubert C.
Tumeur cystopapillaire du pancréas (tumeur de Frantz) chez l’adolescent et l’adulte jeune.
Bulletin du Cancer 2012 ; 99 : 112-6.

Updated: January 2017