Abstract

Background: Any link between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer could reflect the malignant potential of a chronic inflammatory process. In this case report, we investigated the occurrence of a possible malignancy within the chronic pancreatitis tissue and present here a clinicopathological and
immunohistochemical features of a case of chronic pancreatitis with pancreas divisum.
Case Report: A 39-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital, presenting with severe abdominal and
back pain due to chronic pancreatitis. Endoscopic retrograde pancreatography demonstrated the pancreas divisum, dilatation of the main pancreatic duct, and a cystic lesion in the accessory pancreatic duct of Santorini. Computed tomography demonstrated pancreatolithiasis in the whole pancreas. Under diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis with pancreas divisum, laparotomy was performed. Then a pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy and side-to-side
pancreatojejunostomy were performed on suspicion of malignant disease in the pancreatic head. Immunohistochemical examination revealed the absence of p53 protein and presence of α[sub]6[/sub] integrin subunit and interleukin-1 receptor type I.
Conclusions: Our results indicated the possibility of malignancy in conjunction with chronic pancreatitis and pancreas divisum in this patient.

Keywords: chronic pancreatitis, Integrins, Pancreas divisum