[Mucinous cystic tumour of the pancreas. A case report].

Although cystic neoplasms and lesions of the pancreas are rare (5% of exocrine tumours), they have attracted a great deal of attention because of their potential curability. In contrast to serous cystic neoplasms, which are generally benign, the mucinous variant is known to have considerable malignant potential. Most authorities agree that no imaging technique (US, CT, MRI) is sufficiently accurate to differentiate between the multiple benign, premalignant and malignant lesions that can be visualised. We report a case of a young woman with a mucinous cystic tumour of the pancreas which was successfully treated surgically and compare our data with those emerging from a review of the literature. We observed a 26-year-old woman who presented with an abdominal mass and mild symptoms. CT scan suggested a mucinous cystic neoplasm of the pancreas. We treated the patient surgically, performing resection of the neoplasm with left pancreatectomy. The histological examination revealed a benign pancreatic cystadenoma. Mucinous cystic neoplasms of the pancreas have a substantial malignant potential and should be treated surgically with adequate resection margins. Moreover, in our opinion, even small lesions, especially if symptomatic or present in older patients, are likely to be malignant and warrant thorough exploration in patients whose condition permits it.