Chronic pancreatitis with synchronous and metachronous malignancy: three unusual cases and a literature review.
OBJECTIVE
Chronic pancreatitis is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. The association between these 2 disease processes is not well known. We present 3 unusual cases of pancreatitis associated with pancreatic cancer and review the possible mechanisms that can cause pancreatitis to degenerate into pancreatic cancer.


METHODS
A case series reviewing 3 unusual cases of chronic pancreatitis associated with pancreatic cancer. The patients' charts are reviewed, and a literature search is performed looking for chronic pancreatitis associated with pancreatic cancer.


METHODS
The cases were performed at a small community hospital in New York City, New York.


METHODS
The surgeons involved are experienced pancreatic surgeons with a large referral group. The endoscopies were performed by gastroenterologists with years of experience in biliary and pancreatic disease.


RESULTS
The cases and the literature review support the hypothesis that there is an association between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Three unusual case of chronic pancreatitis, 2 with synchronous and 1 with metachronous malignancies, are presented. The pathway of benign to malignant change is reviewed, and the constant awareness that pancreatitis is associated with malignancy must be kept in mind.
Wayne
Michael
M
Department of Surgery, Cabrini Medical Center, New York, NY 1003, USA. waynedocny@hotmail.com
Cooperman
Avram
A
Kasmin
Franklin
F
Cohen
Seth
S
Dryska
Herbert
H
Ottaviano
Lawrence
L
Katcherian
Chris
C
Cambronero
Neil
N
Siegel
Jerome
J
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery