Editorial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Oct 16, 2024; 12(29): 6255-6257
Published online Oct 16, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i29.6255
Solid pancreatic masses: What’s hidden beneath? Insights into rare pancreatic lesions
Daniel Vasile Balaban
Daniel Vasile Balaban, Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 020021, Romania
Author contributions: Balaban DV wrote and revised the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Daniel Vasile Balaban, MD, PhD, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 37 Dionisie Lupu, Bucharest 020021, Romania. vasile.balaban@umfcd.ro
Received: February 22, 2024
Revised: June 27, 2024
Accepted: July 3, 2024
Published online: October 16, 2024
Processing time: 187 Days and 10.4 Hours
Abstract

The diagnostic approach to solid pancreatic masses has significantly evolved from the era when a focal pancreatic mass was almost synonymous to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, to a wide spectrum of pancreatic lesions, some of which have good prognosis. With the advent of advanced diagnostic tools, particularly refined imaging and tissue acquisition techniques, a broader spectrum of differential diagnoses has been recognized, encompassing conditions ranging from neuroendocrine tumors or inflammatory masses, to rare entities like metastatic clear cell sarcoma or solitary fibrous tumors. We herein discuss case reports of some rare pancreatic lesions, which were diagnosed by combining clinical and imaging features and endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue sampling and confirmed on surgical specimens. Further reports on these rare pancreatic tumors will contribute to a better understanding of their pathogenesis and effective management.

Keywords: Pancreatic mass; Pancreas; Metastasis; Diagnosis; Endoscopic ultrasound

Core Tip: The diagnostic landscape for solid pancreatic masses has expanded beyond the traditional assumption of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and few other more common lesions. Advancements in imaging, tissue sampling, and histopathological techniques, have unveiled a wide spectrum of pancreatic lesions, including rare tumors. In this editorial, we comment on case reports of some rare pancreatic lesions, such as metastatic clear cell sarcoma of the pancreas and pancreatic solitary fibrous tumor, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic approach integrating medical history, cross-sectional imaging, and endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue sampling.