Asymptomatic Neoplastic Pancreatic Cysts

Publication Date: April 1, 2015

Key Points

Key Points

  • Pancreatic cysts are common and increase with age, but the development of invasive adenocarcinoma in these cysts is extremely rare.
  • The incidental identification of pancreatic cysts is common with the growing use of sophisticated abdominal imaging techniques.
    • Approximately 15% of patients undergoing abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for other indications harbor unsuspected pancreatic cysts.
  • The management strategy for pancreatic cysts aims to prevent the development of invasive cancer and/or to resect invasive malignancy early when present.
  • Current clinical practice is based on minimal evidence and relies almost exclusively on case series of frequent cross-sectional imaging with or without endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and/or fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology and surgery for concerning features.
  • The AGA recommends that before starting any pancreatic cyst surveillance program, patients should have a clear understanding of programmatic risks and benefits.

Diagnosis

Diagnosi...

...ts that patients with pancreatic cysts...


...he AGA suggests that pancreatic cysts with a...


...ests that patients without concerning E...


...uggests that significant changes in the char...


Management

...anagement

...he AGA suggests against continued su...


...gests that patients with both a solid compone...


...ommends that if surgery is considered for a pancre...


...suggests that patients with invasive cancer or d...


...against routine surveillance of panc...


...of Asymptomatic Neoplastic Pancreatic Cysts...