Pancreatic Sarcoidosis: A Literature Review

Pancreatic involvement is a rare condition in the patients with systemic sarcoidosis. The incidence rate of pancreatic sarcoidosis is 1-6% of the patients with systemic disease. Symptoms related to pancreas involvement are not common and may vary from nonspecific abdominal pain or nausea and weight loss to a solid mass with obstructive jaundice. There is no specific diagnostic test for pancreatic sarcoidosis. It often is detected during surgery in the patients who are suspicious to malignant pancreatic mass and diagnosed by pathological evidences. However, Computed Tomography, magnetic resolution imaging and endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration may be useful and safe modalities for differentiating malignant and benign pancreatic masses. There is no standard medical treatment for pancreatic sarcoidosis. Nevertheless, corticosteroid therapy may be considered for symptomatic patients. Generally, prognosis is good in the mild forms of disease and spontaneous remission rate is high. Received June 02nd, 2014-Accepted July 11th, 2015