A mucinous cystic neoplasm of the pancreas containing an undifferentiated carcinoma component and harboring the NRAS driver mutation

Clin J Gastroenterol. 2021 Jun;14(3):910-917. doi: 10.1007/s12328-021-01380-z. Epub 2021 Mar 12.

Abstract

A woman in her 20s visited our hospital with a chief complaint of abdominal distension and back pain. She was diagnosed with a cystic tumor (diameter 16 cm) in the tail of the pancreas and underwent a combined distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy, and left adrenalectomy. Histopathologically, the tumor presented as a mucinous cystic neoplasm with an undifferentiated carcinoma component of the pancreas. In addition, the cells demonstrated a partial rhabdoid-like morphology. These findings were considered relatively typical for a mucinous cystic neoplasm in the tail of the pancreas in a young woman. However, NRAS mutation, which is rare in pancreatic tumors, was detected.

Keywords: Mucinous cystic neoplasm; NRAS mutation; Ovarian-like stroma; Pancreas; Undifferentiated carcinoma.

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma*
  • Female
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Mutation
  • Pancreas
  • Pancreatectomy
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms* / surgery

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases
  • NRAS protein, human