[Solid-pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas: report of four cases].

BACKGROUND Solid-pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas is a rare neoplasia of pancreas, with a rate varying from 0.17%-2.7% of non-endocrine tumors of the pancreas. Recently there has been a steady increase in the number of solid-pseudopapillary tumors of the pancreas, with more than two thirds of the total cases described in the last 10 years. OBJECTIVE To evaluate four patients with Frantz's tumor in a Brazilian institution. PATIENTS AND METHODS Four patients with diagnosis of solid-pseudopapillary tumor were analysed in a retrospective analysis from December 2000 to February 2003, clinically and histopathologically. Therapeutical approach and prognosis were also studied. RESULTS There were three females and one male with a median age of 27 years (range, 17-42). Dyspeptic symptoms and abdominal palpable mass represented the initial clinical findings. The main localization of the tumor was the pancreatic head (three of four cases). Enucleation was performed in one case, Whipple's surgery in two cases, and distal pancreatectomy in one case. Curative resection was possible in all cases confirmed by free margins. Two cases showed venous invasion histopathologically. Immunohistochemical analysis was done in three cases to confirm the diagnosis. In an average of 15-month follow-up, no recurrence has been observed. CONCLUSION Our casuistic showed the preference of the tumor to the head of the pancreas, controversial to literature. However, other characteristics were similar to literature reports (clinical, histopathological, immunohistochemical and therapeutics). In addition, a longer postoperative follow-up will be necessary to affirm about prognosis.