[Cystic pancreatic tumors--differential diagnosis, surgical therapy. Prognosis of cystic pancreatic tumors].

From 1986-2001 we treated 31 patients with cystic neoplasms of the pancreas. 13 patients showed a cystadenocarcinoma including one rare case of a serous cystadenocarcinoma. A curative resection (R0) was possible in 10 patients (resection rate: 76.9%). After median 61 months (range 29-144 months) 8 patients are alive without evidence of tumour. 2 patients died 2 months (pneumonia) and 36 months (local recurrence) respectively after operation. The latter case of tumour recurrence showed nodal involvement (pN1) in the Whipple specimen. One patient died 44 months after Whipple procedure with tumour-positive resection margin (R1 Situation) from local recurrence and hepatic spread. Our data reflect the good prognosis of cystic neoplasms of the pancreas reported in literature after curative resection--a result of the different biological behaviour compared with ductal adenocarcinome.