Chronische Pankreatitis als Risikofaktor für ein Pankreaskarzinom – diagnostische Herausforderungen

Abstract

Patients with chronic pancreatitis are burdened with an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Strategies or guidelines for the surveillance and early detection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in patients with chronic pancreatitis are not established, because available clinical, serologic or imaging techniques are still of limited sensitivity and specificity. Despite these limitations do patients with chronic pancreatitis and suspected pancreatic cancer need a careful and sometimes repeated diagnostic work-up. A clear benefit of surveillance programs outside of clinical trials for the early detection of pancreatic cancer has not been demonstrated. A 51-year-old patient with chronic pancreatitis is reported who developed cancer of the pancreatic head while undergoing repeated imaging studies.

Vascularisation Pattern of Chronic Pancreatitis Compared with Pancreatic Carcinoma: Results from Contrast-Enhanced Endoscopic Ultrasound

“…Because of the good resolution, modern diagnostic tools like endosonography, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect even small lesions in the pancreas down to 5 mm or less in size; however the discrimination of these lesions remains a challenge. This is due to the fact that even the imaging produced by contrast-enhanced CT [7] or MRI scanners [8] can be inconclusive. It is well known that adenocarcinoma of the pancreas normally shows less contrast enhancing effect than the surrounding pancreatic tissue and should be therefore possible to identify [9].…”

Pancreatic Cancer: Epidemiology and Risk Factors

“…The diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in a patient with chronic pancreatitis remains a clinical challenge [13] . Chronic pancreatitis has been established as a risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer.…”