A case of lymphoepithelial cyst (LEC) of the pancreas is reported.
A 60-year-old man who had been pointed out a cystic lesion near the pancreas about 44 months earlier was admitted to the hospital, because serum CA19-9 level elevated and the lesion enlarged. He was asymptomatic. On blood chemistry, no abnormal findings were noted except increased CA19-9 and CEA to 83U/ml and 6.5U/ml, respectively. Abdominal CT scan demonstrated a well-circumscribed cystic lesion measuring approximately 4.5cm in diameter, located in the cranial side of the body of the pancreas, and the continuity to the body of the pancreas was suspected. The lesion had increased the mass by 1.5 times compared with that detected about 44 months before admission. Cystic tumor of the pancreas or lymph node swelling was diagnosed and he was operated on. Upon laparotomy, an elastic-soft mass connected with the body of the pancreas was seen. The resected mass had multilocular cystic structure with capsule and was filled with cream like material. Histopathologically, the cyst wall was lined by mature, squamous epithelium and surrounded by lymphoid tissue. It was diagnosed as LEC of the pancreas. LEC of the pancreas is a rare benign lesion of the pancreas and so far cases of the disease resected after clinical follow-up have rarely been reported.