Most solid pancreatic tumors are exocrine adenocarcinomas. We presented a patient with primary ALCL of the pancreas masquerading as a carcinoma of the head of pancreas. She was scheduled for a Whipple's operation and the intra-operative frozen section showed anaplastic carcinoma. The proper diagnosis was only derived later with CD30 immunohistochemical study. This carries important implications on the management, as radical surgery is indicated in resectable carcinoma but not for a chemosensitive lymphoma.