Serous Microcystic Adenoma of the Pancreas
Definition
- Benign pancreatic neoplasm composed of innumerable small cysts lined by bland clear cells
cogen rich cystadenoma
- Microcystic serous cystadenoma
- Serous cystadenoma
Covered separately
Diagnostic Criteria
- Solitary, circumscribed lesion
- Innumerable small cysts
- Most 1-5 mm
- Scattered larger cysts
- Sponge-like / honeycomb appearance
- Most 1-5 mm
- Lined by single layer of flattened or cuboidal cells with clear cytoplasm
- Abundant glycogen (PAS +, diastase digestible)
- Rarely eosinophilic cytoplasm
- Sharp cell borders
- Occasional intracystic papillary projections
- Bland cytology
- Small round/oval nuclei
- No mitotic figures
- Central stellate scar
frequently present
- May calcify
- Scant stroma otherwise
- Occasionally entraps other elements
- Rarely may undergo cystic degeneration, mimicing pseudocyst (Panarelli)
- Very rare cases that present with local invasion or lymph node metastases are considered serous cystadenocarcinoma
Robert V Rouse MD
Department of Pathology
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford CA 94305-5342
Original posting / last update: 1/4/07, 6/17/12
