Magnetic resonance imaging findings of undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells of pancreas

Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells of the pancreas: An individual participant data meta-analysis

Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells (UC-OGCs) of the pancreas is a rare neoplasm that accounts for less than 1% of all pancreatic malignancies. The aim of this study was to review the literature regarding UC-OGC, and to highlight its biological behavior, clinicopathologic characteristics, prognosis, and therapeutic options. A systematic review of the literature in PubMed/Medline and Scopus databases was performed (last search October 31st, 2023) for articles concerning pancreatic UC-OGC in the adult population. Fifty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria, involving 69 patients with a male-to-female ratio of 1.1:1 and a mean age of 62.96. Main symptoms included abdominal pain (33.3%), jaundice (14.5%), weight loss (8.7%), while fourteen patients (20.3%) were asymptomatic. Surgical resection was performed in 88.4% of cases. Survival rates at one, three, and five years were 58%, 44.7%, and 37.3% respectively. Sex, age, size (cut-off of 4 cm), location, and adjuvant treatment did not significantly affect patient survival. UC-OGC of the pancreas is a rare subtype of undifferentiated pancreatic carcinoma with a better prognosis than conventional pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma or undifferentiated carcinoma without giant cells. The establishment of a dedicated patient registry is imperative to further delineate the optimal treatment for this uncommon clinical entity.

Rare Solid Pancreatic Lesions on Cross-Sectional Imaging

Several solid lesions can be found within the pancreas mainly arising from the exocrine and endocrine pancreatic tissue. Among all pancreatic malignancies, the most common subtype is pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), to a point that pancreatic cancer and PDAC are used interchangeably. But, in addition to PDAC, and to the other most common and well-known solid lesions, either related to benign conditions, such as pancreatitis, or not so benign, such as pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs), there are solid pancreatic lesions considered rare due to their low incidence. These lesions may originate from a cell line with a differentiation other than exocrine/endocrine, such as from the nerve sheath as for pancreatic schwannoma or from mesenchymal cells as for solitary fibrous tumour. These rare solid pancreatic lesions may show a behaviour that ranges in a benign to highly aggressive malignant spectrum. This review includes cases of an intrapancreatic accessory spleen, pancreatic tuberculosis, solid serous cystadenoma, solid pseudopapillary tumour, pancreatic schwannoma, purely intraductal neuroendocrine tumour, pancreatic fibrous solitary tumour, acinar cell carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclastic-like giant cells, adenosquamous carcinoma, colloid carcinoma of the pancreas, primary leiomyosarcoma of the pancreas, primary and secondary pancreatic lymphoma and metastases within the pancreas. Therefore, it is important to determine the correct diagnosis to ensure optimal patient management. Because of their rarity, their existence is less well known and, when depicted, in most cases incidentally, the correct diagnosis remains challenging. However, there are some typical imaging features present on cross-sectional imaging modalities that, taken into account with the clinical and biological context, contribute substantially to achieve the correct diagnosis.

A case of anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas with intrasplenic huge mass formation

Anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas (ACP) is an aggressive pancreatic tumor that grows rapidly, and its clinical characteristics are poorly defined because of its rarity. Thus, preoperative diagnosis is difficult and most definitive diagnoses are generally made by surgery, highlighting the importance of collecting more cases of ACP. We report a case of a 79-year-old woman with ACP that was difficult to diagnose preoperatively. Abdominal enhanced computed tomography revealed a large and expansive tumor in the spleen containing multilocular cystic and solid components. The first preoperative diagnosis was splenic angiosarcoma, and the tumor could be resected by distal pancreatectomy, total gastrectomy and partial transverse colectomy. ACP was first diagnosed based on postoperative histopathological findings. ACP that spreads to the spleen and forms an intrasplenic mass is rare. However, ACP should be included in the differential diagnosis of such patients, and further research of ACP is essential for a favorable prognosis.

Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast‑like giant cells of the pancreas: A case report

Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells of the pancreas (UCOGCP) is a rare pancreatic tumor that accounts for <1% of all primary pancreatic malignant tumors. Although the tumor is considered a variant of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, there are substantial differences in the clinicopathological characteristics between UCOGCP and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Imaging examinations are useful in making a correct diagnosis, and providing a reasonable and effective surgical treatment regimen; however, the imaging characteristics of UCOGCP require further investigation. The present report describes a rare case of UCOGCP with rapid progression and poor prognosis. The patient could not undergo surgery and received chemotherapy drugs only. Chemotherapy did not markedly improve the outcome, and a follow-up 6 months after discharge showed that the patient had died. The present report describes this case and summarizes the available imaging findings to increase awareness, and to improve early diagnosis of this rare disease and therapeutic outcomes.

Case report: Pathological and genetic features of pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells

Objectives: Pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma accounts for 2%-7% of pancreatic carcinomas. We aimed to investigate the pathological and genetic characteristics of pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells and the key points of treatment. Methods: The clinical data and follow-up results of four patients diagnosed with pancreatic undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells between May 2015 and May 2020 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Chief complaints included "pain and discomfort in the upper abdomen" (2/4), "nausea and vomiting" (1/4) or no symptoms (1/4). Preoperative mildly elevated tumor markers included carcinoembryonic antigen (1/4) and CA19-9 (1/4). The tumors were located in the tail of the pancreas in three patients and the head and neck in one patient. Tumor metastasis was found in pancreatic adipose tissue in two patients and lymph node metastasis in one patient, with microscopic heterogeneous mononuclear cells and scattered osteoclast-like giant cells of various sizes. One patient (1/4) had a mucinous cystic tumor of the pancreas, and two patients (2/4) had adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic duct. Only one patient received postoperative gemcitabine combined with albumin-bound paclitaxel chemotherapy. Conclusion: Currently, treatment guidelines are lacking for PUC-OGC, and prognosis varies markedly. More cases must be reported to clarify its origination. The long-term follow-up of diagnosed patients and genetic mutation testing can also contribute to improving treatment and prognosis of this disease.

Undifferentiated Carcinoma of Pancreas with Osteoclast-Like Giant Cells: One Center’s Experience of 13 Cases and Characteristic Pre-Operative Images

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Undifferentiated Pancreatic Carcinoma With Osteoclast-Like Giant Cells: What Do We Know So Far?

Undifferentiated carcinoma of the pancreas is an aggressive but rare tumor for which several other terms have been used to describe its histological appearance. In addition, as osteoclast-like giant cells may accompany undifferentiated carcinoma of the pancreas, the WHO Classification distinguishes undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells (UC-OGC) from plain undifferentiated carcinoma since there are a few histopathological and clinical differences. UC-OGC was initially thought to be associated with worse prognosis compared to invasive ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma, since it is often unresectable at diagnosis and tends to recur rapidly even if completely resected. When true UC-OGGs are carefully dissected out from other anaplastic carcinomas, it becomes, however, clear that UC-OGCs do have more indolent behavior, especially the pure UC-OGCs. This mini-review summarizes the current knowledge on UC-OGC.

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma and Its Variants: Pearls and Perils

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), an epithelial neoplasm derived from the pancreatic ductal tree, is the most common histologic type of pancreatic cancer and accounts for 85%-95% of all solid pancreatic tumors. As a highly lethal malignancy, it is the seventh leading cause of cancer death worldwide and is responsible for more than 300 000 deaths per year. PDAC is highly resistant to current therapies, affording patients a 5-year overall survival rate of only 7.2%. It is characterized histologically by its highly desmoplastic stroma embedding tubular and ductlike structures. On images, it typically manifests as a poorly defined hypoenhancing mass, causing ductal obstruction and vascular involvement. Little is known about the other histologic subtypes of PDAC, mainly because of their rarity and lack of specific patterns of disease manifestation. According to the World Health Organization, these variants include adenosquamous carcinoma, colloid carcinoma, hepatoid carcinoma, medullary carcinoma, signet ring cell carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells, and undifferentiated carcinoma. Depending on the subtype, they can confer a better or even worse prognosis than that of conventional PDAC. Thus, awareness of the existence and differentiation of these variants on the basis of imaging and histopathologic characteristics is crucial to guide clinical decision making for optimal treatment and patient management.

Osteoclast-like Giant Cell-type Pancreatic Anaplastic Carcinoma Presenting with a Duodenal Polypoid Lesion

Osteoclast-like giant cell-type (OCGC) anaplastic carcinoma is a rare variant of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and its imaging characteristics and progression pattern have not been fully clarified. The patient was a 73-year-old man who had been incidentally found to have a pancreatic head tumor. Computed tomography demonstrated a 3-cm marginally enhanced mass at the pancreatic head, continuing toward the duodenum. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging showed a retained diffusion capacity. Duodenoscopy revealed a 1.5-cm polypoid lesion, covered by a dirty coat, near the major papilla. Surgical material revealed OCGC pancreatic anaplastic carcinoma protruding to the duodenum, accompanied by multiple hemorrhagic foci and hemosiderin precipitations.

Imaging features of undifferentiated carcinoma of the pancreas

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate imaging features of undifferentiated carcinoma of the pancreas.

METHODS

The study group included eight patients with surgically resected undifferentiated carcinoma of the pancreas. Multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT, n = 8) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, n = 6) findings were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

On MDCT, all eight cases were hypovascular with upstream main pancreatic duct (MPD) dilatation, and only 1 showed exophytic growth. Five cases (62.5%) showed necrosis/cystic change, and calcification was observed in two cases (25%). Calcification reflected tumour osteoid components. On MRI, haemorrhage and hemosiderin were observed in 4 of 6 (66.7%) cases. In addition, tumour thrombus in the splenic vein (n = 1) and intraductal tumour growth in the MPD (n = 2) were pathologically identified, although imaging studies only revealed 1 of these latter cases.

CONCLUSION

Undifferentiated carcinoma of the pancreas may present as a tumour with haemorrhagic necrosis. Coexistence of calcification, intraductal tumour growth in the MPD and tumour thrombus may support the imaging diagnosis of this entity.

CT and MRI features of undifferentiated carcinomas with osteoclast-like giant cells of the pancreas: a case series

PURPOSE

The purpose of this case series was to describe computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells of the pancreas.

METHODS

Institutional ethics review board approval was obtained, and informed consent was waived for this case series. We reviewed CT and MRI of patients with pathologically confirmed undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells of the pancreas found in the medical records of our hospital between 2006 and 2016.

RESULTS

Seven patients (3 males and 4 females; age, 59-82 years (mean, 71)) with confirmation by surgical resection (n = 3) or biopsy (n = 4) were identified. They underwent CT (n = 7) and MRI (n = 6). The tumors 26-83 mm in diameter (mean, 44 mm) were located in the head (n = 4) or body (n = 3) of the pancreas. They were demonstrated as lower attenuation areas relative to the adjacent pancreas on CT images obtained in both pancreatic and portal vein phases (n = 7) with a well-defined smooth margin (n = 5). They were demonstrated as hypointense areas relative to the pancreas on T2-weighted images (n = 4) and T2*-weighted images (n = 4) and diffusion-weighted images (n = 3). They contained hemosiderin deposits on histology (n = 7).

CONCLUSIONS

Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells of the pancreas might be present as low attenuation areas with a well-defined smooth margin on CT images obtained in pancreatic and portal vein phases, and hypointense areas on T2-, T2*-, and diffusion-weighted images caused by hemosiderin deposits.

Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells of pancreas: A case report with review of the computed tomography findings

RATIONALE

Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells (UC-OGCs) of the pancreas is an extremely rare and aggressive pancreatic malignancy. To our knowledge, the computed tomography (CT) findings of this disease have rarely been analyzed.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 65-year-old man who experienced weight loss of about 4 kg over 3 months presented to our clinic. The abdominal ultrasound (US) detected a 5.8 × 5.5 cm well-defined, cystic-solid mass in the head of the pancreas, which had been present for 1 month.

DIAGNOSIS

A benign pancreatic tumor was initially suspected on the basis of the US findings. The patient then received serum tumor markers and CT examinations for further diagnosis, including carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) and CT angiography (CTA). His CA199, CEA, and CA125 marker levels were normal, which supported the diagnosis of a benign tumor. CECT showed a well-defined cystic-solid mass in the head of the pancreas, with a slightly enhanced solid portion and pancreatic ductal dilatation, which led us to consider the possibility of a malignant tumor. CTA revealed that the tumor nourishing arteries emitted from the pancreaticoduodenal superior and inferior arteries into the mass. Then, the patient underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy. Finally, postoperative pathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed UC-OGC of the pancreas.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient has been treated by a pancreaticoduodenectomy alone.

OUTCOMES

The operation had no complications, and the patient recovered well after surgery. Ten months after surgery, the patient reviewed the CECT, and no recurrence or metastasis was noted.

LESSONS

Old patients with cystic-solid lesions in the pancreas should be aware of UC-OGC. CT findings usually show a clear boundary and a slightly enhanced mass with pancreatic duct expansion.