Colloid Carcinoma of the Pancreas
Definition
- Carcinoma of the pancreas in which extracellular mucin comprises at least 80% of the tumor volume
Alternate/Historical Names
- Gelatinous carcinoma
- Mucinous noncystic carcinoma
- Pure mucinous carcinoma
Diagnostic Criteria
- Large pools of extracellular mucin comprise at least 80% of the volume
- Carcinoma cells floating within the pools of mucin
- Usually cuboidal or columnar
- Partial lining of pools is common
- May be signet ring
- Usually cuboidal or columnar
- Nearly all cases associated with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN)
- May rarely develop into pseudomyxoma peritonei
Differential Diagnosis
| Colloid Carcinoma of the Pancreas | Mucinous Cystic Neoplasm of the Pancreas |
|---|---|
| Pools of mucin with cells floating in mucin | Cystic spaces lined by mucinous epithelium |
| No ovarian type stroma | Ovarian type stroma |
| Most cases associated with IPMN | No association with IPMN |
| Male>female | Nearly all female |
| Colloid Carcinoma of the Pancreas | Mucocele-like lesion (Extravasated Mucin) |
|---|---|
| Pools of mucin with cells floating in mucin | Pools of mucin lacking lining or cells floating within |
| Mucin pools infiltrate and dissect tissue | Usually restricted to periductal location |
| Usually lacks inflammation | Frequently markedly inflamed |
Clinical
- Over 50% 5 year survival if restricted to those with at least 80% colloid component
Classification / Lists
Pancreatic Carcinomas
- Acinar cell carcinoma
- Adenosquamous carcinoma
- Colloid carcinoma
- Ductal adenocarcinoma
- Neuroendocrine carcinoma, poorly differentiated
- Well differentiated neuroendocrine (islet cell) tumors
- Hepatoid carcinoma
- Medullary carcinoma
- Micropapillary carcinoma
- Pancreatoblastoma
- Serous cystadenocarcinoma
- Signet ring cell carcinoma
- Undifferentiated carcinoma
- Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells
Mucinous Pancreatic Lesions
- Colloid carcinoma
- Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm
- Mucinous cystic neoplasm
- Pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia
Bibliography
- Bosman FT, Carneiro F, Hruban RH, Thiese ND (Eds). WHO Classifiication of Tumors of the Digestive System, IARC, Lyon 2010.
- Solcia E, Capella C, Kloppel G . Tumors of the Pancreas, Atlas of Tumor Pathology, AFIP Third Series, Fascicle 20, 1997.
- Adsay NV, Pierson C, Sarkar F, Abrams J, Weaver D, Conlon KC, Brennan MF, Klimstra DS. Colloid (mucinous noncystic) carcinoma of the pancreas. Am J Surg Pathol. 2001 Jan;25(1):26-42.
- Seidel G, Zahurak M, Iacobuzio-Donahue C, Sohn TA, Adsay NV, Yeo CJ, Lillemoe KD, Cameron JL, Hruban RH, Wilentz RE. Almost all infiltrating colloid carcinomas of the pancreas and periampullary region arise from in situ papillary neoplasms: a study of 39 cases. Am J Surg Pathol. 2002 Jan;26(1):56-63.
- Molavi D, Argani P. Distinguishing benign dissecting mucin (stromal mucin pools) from invasive mucinous carcinoma. Adv Anat Pathol. 2008 Jan;15(1):1-17.
Author / Update
Robert V Rouse MD
Department of Pathology
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford CA 94305-5342
Original posting/updates: 1/5/08, 1/5/12
