SOLID AND PAPILLARY EPITHELIAL TUMOR OF THE PANCREAS - CYTOLOGICAL CASE-STUDY WITH ULTRASTRUCTURAL AND FLOW CYTOMETRIC EVALUATION

A n intraoperative cytological diagnosis of a rare solid and papillary epithelial tumor of the pancreas was made at laparotomy in a 15-year- old Indian female. The characteristic cytological features were the pr esence of numerous large branching papillary clusters with central vas cular stalks lined by multiple layers of uniform bland cells. Perivasc ular metachromatic material was prominent on Romanovsky stain. Ultrast ructural identification of endocrine and exocrine features supports a multipotential cell origin in small pancreatic ductules. DNA analysis, not previously reported for this tumour, demonstrated a diploid popul ation of tumour cells with a low S-phase fraction (0.4%). This would e xplain the bland nuclear morphology and favourable prognosis with a hi gh rate of surgical cure for this neoplasm. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.