Case of intraductal papillary mucinous tumor (noninvasive adenocarcinoma) of the pancreas resected 27 years after onset

Summary A case of intraductal papillary mucinous tumor (IPMT) of the pancreas resected 27 yr after onset is presented. In March of 1997, a 71-yr-old man was admitted to our hospital with a complaint of severe epigastric pain. He had initially undergone endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP) in April 1971 in our hospital and the patient had been followed up for pancreatografic changes for 26 yr. Dilatation of the main pancreatic duct gradually progressed during follow-up, and the filing defect owing to the tumor became demonstrable. On admission, ERP revealed diffuse dilatation of the main pancreatic duct, which was 20 mm in diameter, and the filling defect of 35 mm in diameter. We diagnosed this patient as having an IPMT of the pancreas. Considering his general condition, pancreatic segmentectomy was carried out, and the postoperative course was favorable. Histological findings were compatible with those of noninvasive papillary adenocarcinoma. This is a precious case for studying the natural history of intraductal papillary tumor of the pancreas and to evaluate the application of surgery, because the biologic behavior of this tumor is much less aggressive than that of pancreatic ductal cell carcinoma.