Cellular Classification of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer includes the following carcinomas:

Malignant

• Duct cell carcinoma (90% of all cases).
• Acinar cell carcinoma.
• Adenosquamous carcinoma.
• Cystadenocarcinoma (serous and mucinous types).
• Giant cell carcinoma.
• Invasive adenocarcinoma associated with cystic mucinous neoplasm or intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm.
• Mixed type (ductal-endocrine or acinar-endocrine).
• Mucinous carcinoma.
• Pancreatoblastoma.
• Papillary-cystic neoplasm (Frantz tumor). This tumor has lower malignant potential and may be cured with surgery alone.[1,2]
• Papillary mucinous carcinoma.
• Signet ring carcinoma.
• Small cell carcinoma.
• Unclassified.
• Undifferentiated carcinoma.

Borderline Malignancies

• Intraductal papillary mucinous tumor with dysplasia.[3]
• Mucinous cystic tumor with dysplasia.
• Pseudopapillary solid tumor.

1. Sanchez JA, Newman KD, Eichelberger MR, et al.: The papillary-cystic neoplasm of the pancreas. An increasingly recognized clinicopathologic entity. Arch Surg 125 (11): 1502-5, 1990.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
2. Warshaw AL, Compton CC, Lewandrowski K, et al.: Cystic tumors of the pancreas. New clinical, radiologic, and pathologic observations in 67 patients. Ann Surg 212 (4): 432-43; discussion 444-5, 1990.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
3. Sohn TA, Yeo CJ, Cameron JL, et al.: Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas: an increasingly recognized clinicopathologic entity. Ann Surg 234 (3): 313-21; discussion 321-2, 2001.  [PUBMED Abstract]