For the patient in the preceding question, appropriate management includes which of the following?

a. Distal pancreatectomy

The proper treatment is surgical removal of the tumor; aggressive pancreatic resection is appropriate. It is crucial to avoid mistaking a mucinous cystic tumor for a pancreatic pseudocyst. Internal drainage of a malignant mucinous cystic tumor results in catastrophic tumor dissemination and should never be performed. With appropriate treatment, all patients with histologically benign tumors should be cured; for tumors demonstrating malignant change, 5-year survival after surgery is about 60%.