NONEPITHELIAL MALIGNANT-TUMORS OF THE PAN CREAS

Nonepithelial malignant tumors of the pancreas are extremely rare neop lasms with a frequency of similar to 0,6%. They are always explored be cause of a suspected diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma. Amongst the mo re than 600 primary pancreatic neoplasms in our pancreatic tumor archi ve only 5 neoplasms were of nonepithelial origin (one was a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor [MPNST], one a leiomyosarcoma, one a mal ignant mesothelioma, and two were peripheral neuroectodermal tumors [P NET]. The differential diagnosis includes secondary infiltration of th e pancreas by mesenchymal tumors of the retroperitoneum, undifferentia ted pancreatic carcinoma and, especially in the case of PNET, malignan t lymphoma. Preoperative chemotherapy and down-staging can improve the operability and prognosis, especially in PNET.