Unusual Case of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Pancreas with Review of Literature

Excerpt

Primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising from the pancreas is a rare entity with an incidence of 0.5 to 4 % [1]. What makes this tumor so unique and rare is that squamous cells are absent in the normal pancreas [2]. Squamous cell carcinoma, also called epidermoid carcinoma, is often present in the tissue, such as the surface of the skin and the lining of the digestive and respiratory tracts. Since primary SCC of the pancreas is very rare, an extensive workup is necessary to exclude other primary metastatic sites. Currently, there are no standard treatments or guidelines due to the rarity of this disease. However, the treatments of such cases are extrapolated from data of squamous cell carcinomas of other sites and adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. This cancer has an aggressive course and has poor prognosis like adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. …