Autoimmune pancreatitis mimicking cancer of the head of pancreas : Report of two cases

Autoimmune pancreatitis has been characterised in 1995, but only a few case s have been published since then, most of them from Japan. This report desc ribes the cases of two Belgian male patients who presented with isolated ob structive jaundice. Radiological imaging studies were highly suggestive of carcinoma of the head of pancreas and both patients underwent uneventful ce phalic pancreaticoduodenectomy with portal vein resection. Pathological ana lysis of the removed tissues suggested an autoimmune process in both cases. Both patients had hyper-gammaglobulinemia and antinuclear antibodies, but failed to show evidence of any other autoimmune disease or cause of chronic pancreatitis. In both cases final diagnosis was autoimmune pancreatitis. P reoperative clinical suspicion of this diagnosis is mandatory and may avoid unnecessary surgery in future cases.