Colloid carcinoma of the pancreas: review of selected pathological and clinical aspects

Abstract

Summary Colloid carcinoma (CC) of the pancreas is a histopathological variant of ductal adenocarcinoma, which is characterised by the presence of large pools of extracellular mucin, containing neoplastic cells. The mucin component comprises at least 50% of CC (according to the definition by the World Health Organization) or at least 80% of the tumour (according to the US Armed Forces Institute of Pathology). In the vast majority of cases, CC develop from pre-existing intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, especially those forming intestinal-type papillae and characterised by MUC2 expression. Data concerning the long-term prognosis in patients with CC are discrepant. In this review, the authors present contemporary definitions of CC, issues of its epidemiology, symptomatology, preoperative diagnostics, histopathology, treatment and prognosis. Special attention has been paid to pathogenesis of CC.