Clinical and pathological characteristics of the solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas

The solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas (SPT) is a rare pancreatic tumor with low malignant potential. It primarily affects young women. The clinical characteristic is nonspecific, but the pathological characteristic is distinct. The tumor consists of both cystic and solid component. The typical histopathological appearance of SPT is the pseudopapillary structure with a fibrovascular surrounded by several layers of epithelial cells.Only a few SPTs present invasive behaviors. The tumor cells express a wide range of immunohistochemical markers. The pathogenesis is associated with the Wnt signaling pathway, which is changed by β-catenin, Pl20-catenin, adenomatous polyposis coli gene( APC), the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 and p27. Key words: Solid pseudopapillary tumor of pancreas;  Pathology;  Pathogenesis