Solid Pseudopapillary Tumor : Gross Pathology

Comments:
Location: The most common location for solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of pancreas is body and tail, but they can arise in any part of the pancreas. Rare cases have been reported outside the pancreas in peripancreatic tissues, ovaries, testis and in the mesocolon. At least some of these arise in the context of ectopic pancreas.

Size: They can become quite large. At least one-third of cases are larger than 10 cm in diameter.

Gross Features: They are solitary, round, usually well-circumscribed and may even have a fibrous capsule. In some cases, the edges of the tumor infiltrate into the surrounding pancreas or adjacent organs (very rare). The gross morphology ranges from mostly solid to solid/cystic to almost entirely cystic. Small tumors are solid with a pink or yellow-tan appearance. Larger lesions frequently show cystic changes, hemorrhage, calcification, and even ossification.

The image shows cut surface of a solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas. Courtesy of: Dr. Jean-Christophe Fournet, Paris, France; humpath.com; Used with permission