Research Article: Pediatric Pancreatic Endocrine Tumor Presenting as Acute Pancreatitis: A Case Report
Abstract:
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are relatively rare, especially in the pediatric age group. This report describes a pediatric case of acute pancreatitis secondary to stenosis of the main pancreatic duct due to a PNET. The patient was a boy, thirteen and a half years old, who presented with persistent low-grade fever, nausea, and abdominal pain. He was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis based on the elevation of serum pancreatic enzyme levels and abdominal ultrasonography findings of enlargement of the pancreas and dilatation of the main pancreatic duct. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed a 5.5 mm, contrast-enhanced mass in the head of the pancreas. His symptoms resolved with conservative treatment, although the pancreatic tumor grew slowly. At fifteen years and four months, since the tumor had enlarged to 8.0 mm, the patient underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Based on the pathological evaluation, he was diagnosed with PNET (grade: G1). The patient has been free of tumor recurrence for 10 years and requires no additional therapy. In this report, the clinical characteristics of PNETs are also discussed, comparing the clinical features of adult-onset and pediatric-onset cases that initially present as acute pancreatitis.
Introduction:
The causes of childhood acute pancreatitis are diverse, including anatomical abnormalities, trauma, cholelithiasis, drugs, and hereditary factors [1]. Determining the etiology of recurrent acute pancreatitis is crucial to prevent recurrent attacks and complications. Tumors, such as solid pseudopapillary tumors and lymphomas, are also known to contribute to the development of pancreatitis through the induction of pancreatic duct obstruction [1]. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) represent less than 3% of…
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