A solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas in a man presenting with acute pancreatitis: A case report

Highlights • Small SPN of the pancreas is sometimes difficult to diagnose preoperatively and mimicking pancreatic cancer. • The clinical presentation of SPNs is nonspecific, but acute pancreatitis is rare in the reported literature. • We should be aware that SPN of the pancreas can become a cause of acute pancreatitis.
Introduction A solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas is rare neoplasm that occurs predominantly in young women. The clinical presentation of SPNs is nonspecific, but acute pancreatitis is rare in the reported literature. Presentation of case A 36-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of upper abdominal pain and elevation of serum amylase. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed swelling of the pancreas body and a poorly enhanced and indistinct mass in the pancreas body. He was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. The symptom was improved with conservative treatment, but acute pancreatitis recurred twice during a period of 2 months. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) showed stenosis of the MPD adjacent to the mass. Distal pancreatectomy was performed because the mass in the pancreas body seemed to cause repeated acute pancreatitis and malignant pancreatic cancer could not be excluded. Immunohistochemically, a diagnosis of SPN of the pancreas was made from the resected specimen. Discussion To the best our knowledge, only 6 cases have been reported in the literature concerning the SPN presenting with acute pancreatitis. Conclusion We report a man with a small SPN of the pancreas presenting with acute pancreatitis and mimicking pancreatic cancer. We should be aware that this rare pancreatic tumor can become a cause of acute pancreatitis.