title: Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and other pancreatic cystic lesions.
abstract: Pancreatic cystic neoplasms are being increasingly recognized, even in the absence of symptoms, in large part, due to markedly improved imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/magnetic resonance cholangio pancreatography (MRCP) and computer tomography (CT) scanning. During the past 2 decades, better imaging of these cystic lesions has resulted in definition of different types, including pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN). While IPMN represent only a distinct minority of all pancreatic cancers, they appear to be a relatively frequent neoplastic form of pancreatic cystic neoplasm. Moreover, IPMN have a much better outcome and prognosis compared to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas. Therefore, recognition of this entity is exceedingly important for the clinician involved in diagnosis and further evaluation of a potentially curable form of pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia Hospital, Vancouver V6T 1W5, Canada. hugfree@shaw.ca
authors.forename: Hugh-James
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Freeman
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D018293:Cystadenoma, Serous / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018297:Neoplasms, Cystic, Mucinous, and Serous / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D010181:Pancreatic Cyst / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D009626:Terminology as Topic