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Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas
Author(s) -
Kuopio TEIJO,
Ekfors TAUNO O.,
Nikkanen VÄINÄMÖ,
Nevalainen TIMO J.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
apmis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0903-4641
DOI - 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1995.tb01081.x
Subject(s) - acinar cell , immunostaining , pancreas , pathology , immunohistochemistry , pancreatic disease , zymogen , carcinoma , medicine , endocrinology , biology , enzyme , biochemistry
Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma is a rare neoplasm (comprising about 1% of pancreatic tumours). We studied three cases (61‐year‐old female; 42‐year‐old male; 57‐year‐old male), whose survival after diagnosis ranged from 1 year 2 months to 6 years 8 months. There were widespread metastases in each case. The tumours had acinar, trabecular and solid growth patterns. By immunohistochemistry, pancreatic acinar cell markers including carboxyl ester lipase, pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor and pancreatic phospholipase A 2 (group I PLA 2 ) gave a strong positive reaction in all three cases. By electron microscopy, zymogen granules were seen in the cytoplasm of the tumour cells. Immunostaining for prostate‐specific antigen was positive in all three cases. Above‐normal concentrations of pancreatic PLA 2 were measured in the serum of one patient and the values decreased during chemotherapy concomitantly with the reduction in the size of the tumour mass. In conclusion, immunohisto‐chemical demonstration of the secretory products of acinar cells including the new marker pancreatic PLA 2 is useful in the differential diagnosis of pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma. Determination of the concentration of pancreatic group I PLA 2 in serum may be helpful in the evaluation of therapy.