Abstract
BackgroundHistologic characteristics have proven to be very useful for classifying different types of tumors of the pancreas. As a result, the major tumor types in the pancreas have long been classified based on their microscopic appearance.Main bodyRecent advances in whole exome sequencing, gene expression profiling, and knowledge of tumorigenic pathways have deepened our understanding of the underlying biology of pancreatic neoplasia. These advances have not only confirmed the traditional histologic classification system, but also opened new doors to early diagnosis and targeted treatment.ConclusionThis review discusses the histopathology, genetic and epigenetic alterations and potential treatment targets of the five major malignant pancreatic tumors - pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, solid-pseudopapillary neoplasm, acinar cell carcinoma and pancreatoblastoma.
Highlights
Histologic characteristics have proven to be very useful for classifying different types of tumors of the pancreas
Sporadic and familial pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) share the same driver mutations (KRAS, CDKN2A, TP53 and SMAD4) [12], but some of these cases are caused by inherited germline genetic alterations in genes that significantly increase the risk of pancreatic cancer (Table 3)
The microscopic differential diagnosis consists of neoplasms with a solid and cellular appearance like pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, acinar cell carcinoma and pancreatoblastoma (Table 1)
Summary
This review discusses the histopathology, genetic and epigenetic alterations and potential treatment targets of the five major malignant pancreatic tumors - pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, solid-pseudopapillary neoplasm, acinar cell carcinoma and pancreatoblastoma.
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