Pancreatic cysts differ in size and the location where they are pinpointed. Some cysts can be left alone while some would need to be surgically removed through cyst surgery. Let us identify the different types of pancreatic cysts, what doctors do to diagnose pancreatic problems, and how do they perform pancreatic cyst surgery.
Types of pancreatic cysts and tumors
There are different types of cysts that can be found in the pancreas, some more serious than the others.
- Serous cystadenoma is the most common and benign pancreatic neoplasm or tissue growth. It technically is small but can be enlarged that it can push aside other organs near the pancreas. Women older than 60 often develop this type of pancreatic cyst.
- Mucinous cystadenoma is typically positioned in the body or tail end of the pancreas. It is often seen in middle-aged women. This type of cystadenoma is precancerous, which means it might develop into cancer if left untreated.
- Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm is an abnormal tissue growth in the pancreatic duct or its side branches. IPMN can also be precancerous, or even cancerous once detected. Patients 50 years and above often are the chosen population who may develop this type of pancreatic cyst.
- Papillary cyst or tumor is a rare but cancerous pancreatic growth that is typically seen in female patients 35 years and younger. It is often detected in the body or tail of the pancreas just like the mucinous cystadenoma.
- Cystic islet cell tumor can appear to be a firm tissue growth, but sometimes these tumors also appear to have cystic characteristics. They are rare, so their existence may be confused with other pancreatic cysts, but once found, they can already be cancerous.
Pancreatic cyst diagnosis
In the past, pancreatic cysts are rarely diagnosed because they do not elicit any signs and symptoms of their existence. More often than not, a patient can be found to have pancreatic cysts because he or she came to the hospital for a different reason, and abdominal scans detected the growths. However, as time passes and technology took over the world by storm, pancreatic cysts became easier to detect now. With the use of several state-of-the-art scanners, diagnosis and treatment can be made easy.
Once a patient visits the doctor for complaints of abdominal pain, the doctor will get a medical history of previous injury or abdominal conditions that may suggest pancreatitis. Imaging like MRI, CT scan, and endoscopic ultrasound can easily detect the presence of pancreatic cysts as well as other abdominal issues. The size and structure of the cysts can already be detected so it is easier for the doctor to start planning a treatment program for you. But to make sure that the cyst is cancerous, biopsy of a tissue sample is indicated.
Pancreatic cyst surgery
The main and most organic treatment of pancreatic cysts is watchful monitoring. Some cysts are benign and would not require surgery unless they show symptoms that would harm the patient. However, if the biopsy of the tissue sample comes back positive for cancer, the doctor now has no choice but to perform pancreatic cyst surgery and depending on the cyst, radiation therapy or chemotherapy may follow.
