Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas with elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein levels: a case report and a review of 28 cases reported in Japan.

A 60-year-old male with elevated serum AFP levels is reported. Other tumor markers apart from AFP were normal. Serum AFP did not bind to Con A or Lentil-lectin by affinity chromatography. Abdominal ultrasonography, computed tomography and endoscopic retrograded cholangiopancreatography demonstrated a tumor extending from the body to the tail of the pancreas. The tumor was strongly suggested to be an acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas, based on the histological findings of the resected specimen. The peroxidase-antiperoxidase method showed cancer cells to be positive for AFP. In Japan, only 27 cases of pancreatic cancer with elevated serum AFP level have been reported. This is the first Japanese case of pancreatic cancer in which the binding of serum AFP to lectins was investigated.