Case report

Anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas producing granulocyte-colony stimulating factor: a case report

Atsushi Nakajima¹ , Hirokazu Takahashi¹ , Masahiko Inamori¹ , Yasunobu Abe¹ , Noritoshi Kobayashi¹ , Kensuke Kubota¹ and Shoji Yamanaka²

¹  Gastroenterology Division, Yokohama City University Hospital, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku Yokohama 236-0004, Japan

²  Division of Pathology, Yokohama City University Hospital, Yokohama, Japan

author email corresponding author email

Journal of Medical Case Reports 2008, 2:391doi:10.1186/1752-1947-2-391

Published:	17 December 2008

Abstract

Introduction

The granulocyte-colony stimulating factor-producing tumor was first reported in 1977, however, anaplastic pleomorphic type carcinoma of the pancreas producing granulocyte-colony stimulating factor is still rare.

Case presentation

A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with body weight loss (-10 kg during months) and upper abdominal pain from 3 weeks. Abdominal computed tomography demonstrated a pancreatic tumor 10 cm in size and multiple low-density areas in the liver. On admission, the peripheral leukocyte count was elevated to 91,500/mm³ and the serum concentration of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor was 134 pg/mL (normal, < 18.1 pg/mL). Based on liver biopsy findings, the tumor was classified as an anaplastic pleomorphic-type carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining showed that pancreatic carcinoma cells were positive for granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. The patient developed interstitial pneumonia, probably caused by granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, and died 11 days after admission.

Conclusion

This is a rare case report of anaplastic pleomorphic-type carcinoma of the pancreas producing granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and confirmed by immunohistochemistry.