Central pancreatectomy for a pancreatic metastasis of colon cancer – a case report

Background: Isolated pancreatic metastases of other neoplasms are an uncommon pathology, particularly with a colo-rectal cancer origin. Surgery represents the single hope for a long-term survival in these patients, but most of the previously reported patients in the literature underwent standard pancreatic resections. A central pancreatectomy is a non-standardized pancreatic resection, which was exceptionally reported for a malignant pathology. Case presentation: A 30-years old male, with previously left hemicolectomy for a sigmoid colon adenocarcinoma and left hemi-hepatectomy for liver metastasis, developed an isolated pancreatic isthmus metastasis, which was treated with a central pancreatectomy. Results: The early postoperative outcome was complicated by a splenic infarction, which required splenectomy. A margins negative resection was observed at the final pathology examination. The patient died with peritoneal recurrence 28 months after the pancreatic resection. Conclusion: A central pancreatectomy appears to be an oncologically safe surgical procedure for isolated pancreatic metastases of other neoplasms, in selected patients.