PAPILLARY CYSTIC TUMOR OF THE PANCREAS IN CHILDREN

Papillary cystic tumor of the pancreas, so-called Frantz tumor, is a v ery rare tumor in children. Only 157 cases had been reported since 195 9. The clinical manifestations of this disease are usually a slowly gr owing abdominal mass with or without abdominal pain. It occurs predomi nantly in young females, and its pathogenesis is still unknown. Surgic al resection is usually curative, and its prognosis is excellent. Four adolescent girls with acute or chronic abdominal pain were found to h ave papillary cystic tumor of the pancreas at our hospital in the past 4 years. They all have a variable clinical presentation. Papillary cy stic tumor of the pancreas should therefore be considered one of the d ifferential diagnoses of abdominal pain or abdominal mass in adolescen t girls.