PMID: 16614613Apr 15, 2006Paper

Intraductal papillary mucinous tumors of the pancreas

La Presse médicale
Olivier Jean-Yves MonneuseFrank Pilleul

Abstract

Reports of intraductal papillary mucinous tumors of the pancreas have become substantially more frequent in the literature in the past several years. This increased prevalence is due, among other things, to improved screening techniques, especially high-resolution spatial imaging. These tumors are characterized by proliferation of the intraductal epithelium, mucin production, and ductal dilatation. They grow slowly. Their potential for malignancy is high (although the precise risk remains difficult to assess), but their prognosis, when identified during the first stage of neoplastic transformation (before invasion), is far better than that of 'pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Early diagnosis allows patients to be treated before carcinomatous degeneration. Specific diagnosis makes it possible to define an appropriate treatment strategy - either surgery or monitoring, especially when only the intralobular ducts are affected. In that case, the risk of malignant degeneration is much lower than with lesions in the pancreatic duct or in combined forms.

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Carcinoma, Ductal

Ductal carcinoma is a malignant neoplasm involving the ductal systems of any of a number of organs, such as the mammary glands, pancreas, prostate or lacrimal gland. Discover the latest research on ductal carcinoma here.