At least 1 percent of hospitalized patients at major medical centers will have a pancreatic cystic lesion on cross sectional imaging, and up to one-quarter of all pancreata examined in an autopsy series contained a pancreatic cyst.
Until recently, pancreatic cystic lesions were thought to be benign, but new evidence suggests that they may lead to malignancies. A study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology provides a set of guidelines, developed by the American College of Gastroenterology’s Practice Parameters Committee, in order to help clinicians diagnose and manage patients who have developed cysts.
Management of cystic lesions is based on balancing the risk of surgical intervention with the malignant potential of the cyst. The article provides an overview of the several types of neoplastic pancreatic cysts. It offers recommendations on the diagnostic tests available, including new and emerging possibilities, such as DNA analysis, as well as when and how to begin treatment.
Preferred strategies for evaluating and managing patients with pancreatic cysts remain in evolution. These guidelines are designed to address in a practical fashion the most frequent and most important clinical scenarios encountered when caring for patients with pancreatic cysts.-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
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