Pancreaticoduodenectomy, a procedure rarely performed in children, can
lead to significant morbidity. Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most frequent
soft tissue sarcoma in pediatrics. Treatment consists of chemotherapy,
while local control can be achieved through either surgery, radiotherapy
or both. In this brief report, we describe the case of a 15-year-old
adolescent who underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy for a presumed solid
pseudopapillary tumor of the head of the pancreas, ultimately diagnosed
as a fusion-positive rhabdomyosarcoma. We review the ensuing severe side
effects of the treatments, and discuss the role of biopsies for
pancreatic tumors in pediatrics.