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Benign tumors of the pancreas: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
Benign tumors of the pancreas are extremely rare: according to a number of pathologists, they are detected in 0.001-0.003% of cases. These are lipomas, fibromas, myxomas, chondromas, adenomas, hemadenomas, lymphangiomas, neurinomas, schwannomas and some others.
The causes and pathogenesis of these tumors, as well as tumors in general, are unknown.
Symptoms largely depend on the location and size of the tumor. Small and medium-sized tumors (2-4 cm in diameter) that do not compress large pancreatic ducts, especially tumors of its tail, can exist asymptomatically for a long time. When nerve trunks and nerve plexuses located in its thickness and on the back surface are compressed or invaded, severe, sometimes excruciating pain occurs. When the main duct is compressed, pain also occurs (from the "swelling" of the pancreas) and signs of its exocrine insufficiency. It is possible that pancreatitis will develop or worsen. With large tumors, endocrine insufficiency sometimes develops. When a tumor located in the head of the pancreas compresses the terminal part of the common bile duct, an obstruction to the separation of bile, cholestasis, and mechanical jaundice occur.
The diagnosis is established on the basis of ultrasound or CT data; much less often it is necessary to resort to other, more complex instrumental diagnostic methods.
Treatment is only surgical.
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