Neoplasms of Pancreas and Gallbladder Flashcards
As with many pathology lectures... I'm not sure which of all the genes etc. listed are most important.
> 80% of pancreatic tumors are what?
Adenocarcinoma
Where are most pancreatic adenocarcinomas?
75% are in the head of the pancreas.
Histological features of pancreatic adenocarcinoma?
Disorganized glands.
Perineural infiltration. <–
Nuclear atypia, mitosis, glandular debris etc.
Why must the Whipple procedure often be done?
Because these adenocarcinomas often invade the duodenum, gall bladder, and bile ducts… must link up remaining pancreas and bile ducts to jejunum, and stomach to jejunum.
5 risk factor for pancreatic adenocarcinoma?
Cigarette smoking Chronic pancreatitis Increased BMI Prolonged petroleum product exposure Diabetes
What are a few genetic associations with pancreatic cancer?
Family Hx BRCA2 Familial Atypical Multiple Melanoma p16 mutation HNPCC Peutz-Jeghers Polyposis
What happens when pancreatic adenocarcinoma occludes the pancreatic ducts?
Obstructive jaundice:
Build up of conjugated bilirubinemia.
What is Courvoisier’s sign?
Distended palpable non-tender gallbladder - indicative of a bile duct obstruction.
What is Trousseau’s Syndrome?
Superficial and deep vein thromboses…
can be a sign of many different cancers
What are the precursor lesions to pancreatic adenocarcinoma called?
Pancreatic Intraepitheilal Neoplasia - PanIN (like CIN, but in the pancreas)
What’s one of the first dysplastic changes that occurs in PanIN?
PanIN 1 has elongation of cells lining the ducts.
What PanIN stage has cells being shed into the duct lumen?
PanIN 3 / carcinoma in situ
What oncogene is expressed in most pancreatic adenocarcinomas starting early?
K-ras.
Do people have better prognoses for adenocarcinoma if the tumor removed is smaller?
Yes.
What’s currently the highest sensitivity imaging modality for pancreatic tumors?
Endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration.
What’s a pancreatic pseudocyst?
There “no lining” - associated with pancreatitis.
What are 2 types of mucinous pancreatic cysts that we care about?
Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs).
Mucinous cystic neoplasms.
What are 3 characteristics of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs)? (This is a softball)
They live in the pancreatic ducts.
They have a papillary configuration.
They produce thick mucin.