J Pathol Transl Med.  2020 May;54(3):220-227. 10.4132/jptm.2020.03.04.

Sarcoma metastasis to the pancreas: experience at a single institution

• Lee M
• Song JS
• Hong SM
• Jang SJ
• Kim J
• Song KB
• Lee JH
• Cho KJ

• KMID: 2501657
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4132/jptm.2020.03.04

Abstract

Background
Reports of metastatic sarcoma to the pancreas are limited. We reviewed the clinicopathologic characteristics of such cases.
Methods
We reviewed 124 cases of metastatic tumors to the pancreas diagnosed at Asan Medical Center between 2000 and 2017.
Results
Metastatic tumors to the pancreas consisted of 111 carcinomas (89.5%), 12 sarcomas (9.6%), and one melanoma (0.8%). Primary sarcoma sites were bone (n = 4); brain, lung, and soft tissue (n = 2 for each); and the uterus and pulmonary vein (n = 1 for each). Pathologically, the 12 sarcomas comprised 2 World Health Organization grade III solitary fibrous tumors/hemangiopericytomas, and one case each of synovial sarcoma, malignant solitary fibrous tumor, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, osteosarcoma, mesenchymal chondrosarcoma, intimal sarcoma, myxofibrosarcoma, myxoid liposarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, subtype uncertain, and high-grade spindle-cell sarcoma of uncertain type. The median interval between primary cancer diagnosis and pancreatic metastasis was 28.5 months. One case manifested as a solitary pancreatic osteosarcoma metastasis 15 months prior to detection of osteosarcoma in the femur and was initially misdiagnosed as sarcomatoid carcinoma of the pancreas.
Conclusions
The metastatic sarcoma should remain a differential diagnosis when spindle-cell malignancy is found in the pancreas, even for solitary lesions or in patients without prior history.

Keyword

Pancreas; Metastasis; Sarcoma

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Primary (A–D) and metastatic (E, F) osteosarcoma. (A) Gross photographs of a distal pancreatectomy specimen bisected along the main pancreatic duct. A well-defined 2.7-cm ovoid solid mass is observed in the tail of the pancreas. Metastatic osteosarcoma to the pancreas shows infiltrative margins (B) and consists of pleomorphic cells and multinucleated giant cells with bone formation and osteoid stroma (C). (D) Vascular invasion is noted. (E) T2-weighted coronal magnetic resonance imaging showing an approximately 9-cm soft tissue mass in the left femur (arrows). (F) The primary lesion of the femur shows similar features to the metastatic pancreatic lesion.

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  Fig. 2. Metastatic sarcomas to the pancreas. (A) Synovial sarcoma from the lung with cellular fascicles of uniform spindle cells. (B) World Health Organization grade III solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma from the brain composed of spindle cells with prominent vascular structure. (C) Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma from the tibia with fascicular arrangement of atypical spindle cells. (D) High-grade spindle-cell sarcoma from the femur. (E) Intimal sarcoma from the pulmonary vein. (F) Myxofibrosarcoma from the knee showing prominent myxoid stroma and elongated, thin-walled blood vessels. (G) Myxoid liposarcoma from the thigh with abundant myxoid stroma, a delicate, arborizing capillary vasculature, and surrounding lipoblasts. (H) Rhabdomyosarcoma, subtype uncertain, from the uterus showing scattered eosinophilic rhabdomyoblasts.

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