Background
Pancreatic cysts are a complex medical problem with several treatment options. Patients use web-based health information to understand their conditions and to guide treatment choices.
Objective
The goal of this study was to describe the quality and readability of publicly available web-based information on pancreatic cysts and to compare this information across website affiliations.
Methods
A Google search for “pancreatic cysts” was performed and the first 30 websites were evaluated. Website affiliations were classified as academic, media, nonprofit, government, or not disclosed. Information describing cancer risk was recorded. The DISCERN instrument measured the quality of content regarding treatment choices. Four standardized tests were used to measure readability.
Results
Twenty-one websites were included. The majority of the websites (20/21, 95%) described the cancer risk associated with pancreatic cysts. Nearly half of the websites were written by an academic hospital or organization. The average DISCERN score for all websites was 40.4 (range 26-65.5, maximum 80). Websites received low scores due to lack of references, failure to describe the risks of treatment, or lack of details on how treatment choices affect quality of life. The average readability score was 14.74 (range 5.76-23.85, maximum 19+), indicating a college reading level. There were no significant differences across website affiliation groups.
Conclusions
Web-based information for patients with pancreatic cysts is of moderate quality and is written above the reading level of most Americans. Gastroenterological, cancer treatment organizations, and physicians should advocate for improving the available information by providing cancer risk stratification, treatment impact on quality of life, references, and better readability.
Insulinomas are rare, with an annual incidence of 1–4 people per mission. Insulinomas are the most common functioning endocrine neoplams of the pancreas. Endoscopic ultrasound has both diagnostic and therapeutic yield in undifferentiated pancreatic tumors. We present a case of a recurrent insulinoma, refractory to surgical and medical management diagnosed with endoscopic ultrasound. Our case uniquely conveys a successful, alternative approach to addressing symptomatic insulinomas refractory to surgical or medical management through computed tomography–guided percutaneous ethanol-lipiodol injection.
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