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©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Early detection of pancreatic cancer in patients with recurrent pancreatitis: A case report
Cheng Wei, Yi-Chen Li, Hong-Tao Jin, De-Feng Li, Li-Sheng Wang, Jun Yao
Cheng Wei, De-Feng Li, Li-Sheng Wang, Jun Yao, Department of Gastroenterology, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518020, Guangdong Province, China
Yi-Chen Li, Department of Emergency, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518020, Guangdong Province, China
Hong-Tao Jin, Department of Pathology, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518020, Guangdong Province, China
Co-first authors: Cheng Wei and Yi-Chen Li.
Co-corresponding authors: Li-Sheng Wang and Jun Yao.
Author contributions: Wang LS and Yao J were responsible for the design of the study and reviewed the manuscript; Wei C and Li YC drafted the manuscript; Li DF abstracted data; Yao J and Wei C performed EUS-FNA procedure; all authors have read and approved the final manuscript. Wei C and Li YC contributed equally to this work as co-first authors. The reasons for designating Wei C and Li YC as co-first authors are twofold. First, the research was performed as a collaborative effort, and the designation of co-first authorship accurately reflects the distribution of responsibilities and burdens associated with the time and effort required to complete the study and the resultant paper. This also ensures effective communication and management of post-submission matters, ultimately enhancing the paper's quality and reliability. Second, Wei C and Li YC contributed efforts of equal substance throughout the research process. The choice of these researchers as co-first authors acknowledges and respects this equal contribution, while recognizing the spirit of teamwork and collaboration of this study. In summary, we believe that designating Wei C and Li YC as co-first authors is fitting for our manuscript as it accurately reflects our team' s collaborative spirit, equal contributions, and diversity. Wang LS and Yao J contributed equally to this work as co-corresponding authors. They studied the design and reviewed the manuscript. They were deeply involved and guided the authors in the endoscopic procedure and treatment of this patient.
Informed consent statement: The patient has signed the informed consent for endoscopy and surgery.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors report no relevant conflicts of interests.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See:
https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/ Corresponding author: Li-Sheng Wang, PhD, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, No. 1017 East Gate Road, Shenzhen 518020, Guangdong Province, China. wanglsszrmyy@163.com
Received: February 21, 2024
Revised: April 24, 2024
Accepted: May 17, 2024
Published online: July 6, 2024
Processing time: 129 Days and 7.2 Hours
BACKGROUND
Pancreatic cancer presents a challenge with its low early diagnosis and treatment rates, leading to high metastasis and mortality rates. The median survival time for advanced pancreatic cancer is a mere 3 months. However, there's hope: small pancreatic cancers diagnosed at an early stage (T1) or those less than or equal to 1 cm in diameter boast an impressive 5-year survival rate of nearly 100%. This underscores the critical importance of early pancreatic cancer detection for significantly improving prognosis.
CASE SUMMARY
Pancreatic cancer, a malignant tumor of the digestive tract, poses challenges in both diagnosis and treatment due to its occult and atypical clinical symptoms. Clinically, patients with recurrent pancreatitis should be vigilant, as it may be indicative of pancreatic cancer, particularly in middle-aged and elderly patients. Here, we presented the case of a patient who experienced recurrent acute pancreatitis within a span of 2 months. During the initial episode of pancreatitis, routine imaging failed to identify the cause of pancreatic cancer. However, upon recurrence of acute pancreatitis, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) revealed a space-occupying lesion approximately 1 cm in size in the pancreatic body. Subsequent EUS coupled with fine-needle aspiration examination demonstrated atypical pancreatic gland epithelium. Ultimately, the patient underwent surgery and was diagnosed with an intraductal papillary mucinous tumor of the pancreas (severe epithelial dysplasia, focal cancer).
CONCLUSION
We recommend EUS for patients with recurrent pancreatitis of unknown etiology to exclude early pancreatic cancer.
Core Tip: Pancreatic cancer is notorious for its low early diagnosis rate and high mortality. With a tendency for nerve invasion, local lymph node, and distant metastasis, it poses a significant challenge. The 5-year survival rate is less than 5%, and the median survival time for advanced pancreatic cancer is a mere 3 months. For patients experiencing recurrent pancreatitis of unclear origin during routine examination, we highly recommend the enhanced use of endoscopic ultrasonography. This approach is of paramount importance for early detection and exclusion of pancreatic cancer.
