A Pediatric Case of Mixed Acinar-Neuroendocrine Carcinoma

Abstract

Mixed acinar-neuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC) is a malignant pancreatic tumor that rarely occurs in children. It is diagnosed pathologically according to the proportion of neuroendocrine cells present, highlighting the need for surgical biopsy. A 13-year-old boy presented with a 10-cm palpable mass on CT. Surgical resection was performed, and the pathological diagnosis was MANEC. There were no postoperative complications, and the patient was discharged from the hospital 10 days after surgery. He is presently undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. We reviewed historical MANEC cases published in the English literature. We concluded that pathological analysis of a surgically resected specimen is necessary for an accurate diagnosis of MANEC, and that publication of more cases is needed to determine the optimal management strategy for MANEC.