Lampridis S. Unraveling the landscape of pediatric pancreatic tumors: Insights from Japan. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2025; 17(1): 101477 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i1.101477]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Savvas Lampridis, MD, MSc, Editor-in-Chief, Researcher, Surgical Oncologist, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom. savvas.lampridis@doctors.org.uk
Research Domain of This Article
Oncology
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Jan 15, 2025; 17(1): 101477 Published online Jan 15, 2025. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i1.101477
Unraveling the landscape of pediatric pancreatic tumors: Insights from Japan
Savvas Lampridis
Savvas Lampridis, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
Savvas Lampridis, Department of Surgical Oncology, 424 General Military Training Hospital, Thessaloniki 56429, Greece
Author contributions: Lampridis S wrote the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author has no conflicts of interest to declare.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Savvas Lampridis, MD, MSc, Editor-in-Chief, Researcher, Surgical Oncologist, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom. savvas.lampridis@doctors.org.uk
Received: September 15, 2024 Revised: October 3, 2024 Accepted: October 18, 2024 Published online: January 15, 2025 Processing time: 87 Days and 17.4 Hours
Abstract
Pediatric pancreatic tumors, though rare, pose significant diagnostic and management challenges. The recent, 22-year nationwide survey on pediatric pancreatic tumors in Japan by Makita et al offers valuable insights into this uncommon entity, revealing striking geographical variations and questioning current treatment paradigms. This editorial commentary analyzes the study's key findings, including the predominance of solid pseudopapillary neoplasms and their younger age of onset, which contrast sharply with Western data. It explores the implications for clinical practice and research, emphasizing the need for population-specific approaches to diagnosis and treatment. The revealed limited institutional experience and surgical management patterns prompt a reevaluation of optimal care delivery for these complex cases, suggesting benefits of centralizing healthcare services. Furthermore, the commentary advocates for international collaborative studies to elucidate the genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors influencing the development and progression of pediatric pancreatic tumors across diverse populations. It also outlines future directions, calling for advancements in precision medicine and innovative care delivery models to improve global patient outcomes. Unraveling Makita et al's findings within the broader landscape of pediatric oncology can stimulate further research and clinical advancements in managing pancreatic and other rare tumors in children.
Core Tip: This editorial analyzes a 22-year nationwide survey on pediatric pancreatic tumors in Japan. The predominance of solid pseudopapillary neoplasms and their younger age of onset contrast sharply with Western data, highlighting the need for population-specific approaches. Centralizing healthcare services could address the limited experience with these rare tumors observed at many institutions. The commentary also advocates for precision medicine, innovative care delivery models, and international collaborative studies on genetic and environmental factors across diverse populations. These insights could significantly improve the diagnosis, treatment, and management of pediatric pancreatic and other rare neoplasms globally, stimulating further research and clinical advancements.
