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Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas with thyroid-like follicular features: first description of a new diagnostic challenging subtype

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Abstract

Acinar cell carcinomas (ACCs) of the pancreas are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms showing a wide spectrum of morphological features including acinar, solid, glandular, and trabecular architecture. In addition, uncommon cytological aspects have recently been described and include oncocytic, spindle, clear, and pleomorphic cell types. This wide histological spectrum represents a challenge in the diagnostic task for pathologists. Molecular mechanisms involved in the onset and progression of ACCs are not completely known, but, in general, they differ from those observed in ductal adenocarcinomas or neuroendocrine neoplasms of the pancreas and frequently include alterations in the APC/β-catenin pathway. In the present paper, we describe a new variant of ACC showing thyroid-like follicular features and CTNNB1 mutation. This phenotype needs to be included in the spectrum of morphological presentation of ACC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pathology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Chiara Saglietti, Vanessa Schneider, Massimo Bongiovanni, Edoardo Missiaglia, Bettina Bisig, Christine Sempoux & Stefano La Rosa

  2. Department of Gastroenterology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Gian Dorta

  3. Department of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Nicolas Demartines

Authors
  1. Chiara Saglietti
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  2. Vanessa Schneider
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  3. Massimo Bongiovanni
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  4. Edoardo Missiaglia
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  5. Bettina Bisig
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  6. Gian Dorta
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  7. Nicolas Demartines
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  8. Christine Sempoux
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  9. Stefano La Rosa
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Contributions

CS analyzed data and participated in writing the manuscript; VS performed the histological diagnosis; MB performed the cytological diagnosis and participated in writing the paper; EM and BB performed molecular analyses, analyzed data, and participated in writing the paper; GD performed clinical investigations and endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle aspiration; ND performed pancreaticoduodenectomy; CS performed histological diagnosis, analyzed the data, and participated in writing the manuscript. SLR conceived and designed the study, performed histological diagnosis, analyzed the data, and wrote the manuscript. All authors critically reviewed the manuscript and gave final approval.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefano La Rosa.

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This was performed in accordance with research policies approved by Lausanne University Hospital Institutional Review Board.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Saglietti, C., Schneider, V., Bongiovanni, M. et al. Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas with thyroid-like follicular features: first description of a new diagnostic challenging subtype. Virchows Arch 475, 789–794 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-019-02628-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-019-02628-3

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