Surgical treatment of pancreatic tumors in childhood and adolescence: uncommon neoplasms with favorable outcome.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Pancreatic tumors in children and adolescents are uncommon. The aim of the present paper was to analyze short- and long-term outcomes after surgical treatment of primary pancreatic neoplasms in children and adolescents at a single high-volume center for pancreatic diseases.

METHODS

Retrospective review of medical records and pathology reports of patients younger than 18 years who underwent surgery at Verona University Hospital from 1990 through 2010.

RESULTS

The study population consisted of 20 patients. Abdominal pain and palpable mass were the most common presenting symptoms. No patient had a locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic disease. Complete resection (R0) was achieved in 19 patients. There was no postoperative mortality, but postoperative complications occurred in 5 cases (25%). Histological examination showed 12 solid pseudopapillary tumors, 5 neuroendocrine tumors, 2 cystadenomas and 1 epithelial malignant tumor. At a median follow-up of 49.5 months (range: 7-234), there was no tumor recurrence. Postoperative diabetes was diagnosed in 1 patient and 4 other patients developed pancreatic exocrine insufficiency.

CONCLUSION

In the setting of a high-volume surgical center, radical resection of pancreatic tumors in children and adolescents is associated with acceptable postoperative morbidity and favorable long-term outcome.