title: Assessment of pancreatic neoplasms: review of biopsy techniques.
abstract: Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer death annually. Recent technological advances in imaging have led to non-uniformity in the evaluation of pancreatic neoplasms. The following article describes the history behind various biopsy techniques and the rationale for obtaining a biopsy of a pancreatic neoplasm and discusses the benefits and disadvantages of the various pancreatic biopsy techniques, including fine needle aspiration biopsy, Tru-cut needle biopsy, endoscopic brushings/cytology, and endoscopic ultrasound guided biopsies. A treatment algorithm for pancreatic neoplasms is then presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tampa General Hospital, University of South Florida, Davis Island, Tampa, FL 33601, USA. sgoldin@hsc.usf.edu
authors.forename: Steven B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Goldin
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Bradner
authors.forename: Emmanuel E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Zervos
authors.forename: Alexander S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Rosemurgy
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*