Solid Pseudopapillary Tumor of the Pancreas: Raising Awareness of a not so Rare Pancreatic Tumor Affecting Young Females

Introduction

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPT) is a low-grade malignant tumor, which is usually diagnosed in adolescent girls and young women [7]. It comprises 2–3% of all primary pancreatic tumors diagnosed. Few patients will develop lymphatic, hepatic and/or peritoneal metastases [2] [10] [12]. Accurate diagnosis of this unusual tumor is important, because the prognosis after surgical resection is excellent.

Between 2003 and 2006, 41 cases of primary pancreatic tumors were operated at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center (HYMC). Of these, three (7.3%) patients were found to suffer from SPT. We describe these cases here, highlighting important aspects in the management of this tumor, once thought to be rare.

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