This research is being done to learn more about pancreatic cysts. The tests that are currently available are imperfect at determining exactly what type of pancreatic cyst a person has, which cysts contain cancer, or what the risk is of developing cancer in the future. The aim of this study is to use a combination of clinical, imaging, cyst fluid analysis, and molecular markers to try to help develop better tools to answer these questions.
Incidental pancreatic cysts are increasingly recognized due to the widespread use of cross-sectional imaging techniques such as CT and MRI. A number of lesions in the pancreas can form cysts, including serous cystadenomas (SCA), mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCNs), intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs), solid-pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPNs), and pseudocysts. SCAs and pseudocysts are considered benign; whereas SPNs are considered malignant and require surgical resection. IPMNs and MCNs are considered neoplasms with malignant potential, although the exact risk of malignant progression of these cysts is unknown. Currently, MCN are all surgically resected, whereas IPMN are resected if they have features suspicious for malignancy. However, current diagnostic tests cannot always reliably distinguish harmless from potentially harmful cysts. Recent studies conducted at Johns Hopkins have shown that each cyst type has unique genetic features that could be used as diagnostic biomarkers. In this study, clinical, imaging data and cyst fluid analysis of individuals with pancreatic cysts will be collected. In patients who undergo an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) procedure, if a fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is performed, and there is extra cyst fluid left after standard clinical tests have been sent, the extra cyst fluid will be submitted for molecular marker analysis. If an individual undergoes surgery to remove the cyst, cyst fluid will be collected after the cyst has been removed. In addition, a small amount of blood will be collected at the time of the EUS or surgical procedure. AIMS: The general aim is to propose and prospectively validate a diagnostic approach and model for prediction of mucinous versus non-mucinous, and malignant versus non-malignant, pancreatic cysts using a combination of clinical, radiologic, and biomarker characteristics.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
3,000
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
To develop and prospectively validate a panel of molecular markers to differentiate benign pancreatic cysts from those with malignant potential using surgical pathology as the gold standard
Time frame: 3 years
To determine the sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of imaging (CT, MRI and EUS) in patients with pancreatic cysts
Sensitivity and specificity of imaging results in identifying malignant and mucinous cysts will be calculated using the pathology result as the reference gold standard. The overall accuracy of the imaging results, defined as percent agreement with pathology, will also be calculated. Estimates will be reported with exact binomial 95% confidence intervals.
Time frame: 3 years
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