Gastric Wall Implantation of Pancreatic Cancer Due to Preoperative Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration: A Case Report

Abstract

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is often used to diagnose pancreatic tumors. In rare cases, preoperative EUS-FNA can be complicated by gastric wall implantation of pancreatic cancer. A 66-year-old woman with pancreatic tail cancer underwent evaluation by EUS-FNA, followed by distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy. Twelve months postoperatively, a submucosal tumor was detected at the posterior gastric wall, at the location where the EUS-FNA was performed, and a boring biopsy from the submucosal tumor showed an adenocarcinoma. Therefore, we performed partial gastrectomy. Immunostaining results of the resected specimen were identical to those of the resected pancreatic cancer. The patient was diagnosed as having gastric wall implantation of pancreatic cancer due to EUS-FNA. This case emphasizes the importance of monitoring the site of EUS-FNA for gastric wall implantation of pancreatic cancer, and boring biopsy is a useful diagnostic tool.