MULTIPLE PANCREATIC MASSES ASSOCIATED WITH AUTOIMMUNITY

A 59-year-old woman was detected to have a high titer of serum gamma-g lobulin, positive antinuclear antibody and multiple pancreatic masses, In the course of 1 yr, Sjogren's syndrome developed, and her pancreat ic masses spread diffusely and compressed the main pancreatic duct, A pancreatic biopsy by an exploration of the abdomen showed that many CD 4 positive T-lymphocytes had infiltrated to the ducts and acinar cells expressing HLA-DR antigens, This suggested a diagnosis of autoimmune- related pancreatitis, She was treated with oral prednisolone, and a ma rked improvement of the above abnormal findings followed, In this repo rt, a case of autoimmune-related multiple pancreatic masses associated with Sjogren's syndrome is presented, and a possible mechanism is dis cussed, (C) 1998 by Am. Coll, of Gastroenterology.