Adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas: two case reports and review of the literature

Abstract

Abstract Background Among the total reported cases of pancreatic duct adenocarcinomas, around 1–2.9% are adenosquamous carcinomas of the pancreas. Due to limited data, preoperative diagnosis is a great challenge for physicians, and it is usually set post-operational, based on the pathologist report. We operated on two cases of adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas, which we present alongside the operation and treatment planning. Case report A 69-year-old Caucasian female and a 63-year-old Caucasian male presented themselves with jaundice in our department. The abdomen computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans revealed lesions of the pancreas. A pancreas–duodenumectomy was performed in both patients, and the post-operational histology analysis revealed adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas head. The patients were discharged in good condition and received further chemotherapy treatment after surgery. Conclusions Two case reports of adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas are described here, which both underwent surgery resection. The limited available literature on this topic substantially limits the knowledge and guidance on treatment. A summarization of the available literature is attempted, alongside a description of possible fields of future research.