High-grade malignant pancreatic neoplasm with sarcomatoid features.

ABSTRACT

Sarcomatoid carcinoma is a rare and aggressive form that occur at diverse locations in the body such as upper respiratory tract, upper and lower digestive tracts, genitourinary tract, breast and thyroid glands. However, its occurrence in pancreas has been rarely reported. Sarcomatoid carcinoma of pancreas (SCP) is a high-grade epithelial malignancy composed predominantly of spindle cells often having features suggestive of epithelial derivation without features indicative of a specific line of mesenchymal differentiation. Its pathogenesis has not been elucidated. Microscopically, SCP comprises mostly anaplastic cells and is strikingly sarcoma-like in appearance. Confirmation of this disease is often based on the pathological diagnosis. We report a case that was incidentally found after a CT was done for worsening chronic back pain and the patient was found to have a pancreatic mass and a liver lesion. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided liver biopsy revealed high grade malignant pancreatic neoplasm with sarcomatoid features. Further CT chest revealed bilateral lung nodules and PET scan revealed prominent bony metastases within vertebral bodies at L1, L2, and L3. The patient refused definitive treatment and succumbed to illness within 3 months.