Frantz tumor: analysis of diagnostic and therapeutic aspects in a series of 21 cases

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms of the pancreas (Frantz tumor) are described as rare and have a low malignant potential. The objective of this study is to report the clinical and therapeutic characteristics, as well as the short- and long-term follow-up of the operated patients. Between October 2012 and September 2024, 21 patients underwent surgery at our center. There were one male and 20 female patients, with a mean age of 26.14 years. The presenting symptom was abdominal pain in 42.85% of cases, followed by palpation of a mass in 14.28% of cases. The mean tumor diameter was 73.23 mm, and the cephaloisthmic location accounted for 52.38% of cases. The operative morbidity and mortality rate was 28.56% and 4.76%, respectively, and long-term follow-up ranged from 3 months to 169 months, with no local recurrence or distant metastases in 95.23% of cases. Despite their uncertain etiopathogenesis, Frantz tumors remain low-grade malignancy, and complete surgery is the only guarantee of a good prognosis.