Source: Thailand Medical News Dec 05, 2019 5 years, 2 weeks, 4 days, 3 hours, 1 minute ago
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center researchers have developed a new "
virtual biopsy" that allows them to definitively diagnose
cysts in the
pancreas with unprecedented accuracy. This means they can eliminate
precancerous cysts and potentially save lives.
Conventional standard involves testing the fluid inside the
cysts. It correctly identifies them as benign or
precancerous 71% of the time. Researchers found that when the
virtual biopsy is added to the standard of care, the diagnostic accuracy jumps to 97%. The study is published in
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Dr. Somashekar Krishna. Credit: Ohio State University
Dr. Somashekar Krishna, a gastroenterologist and lead author of the study told
Thailand Medical News via a phone interview, "
Pancreatic cysts are common, and it can be difficult to distinguish the benign
cysts from those destined to become
cancerous, but this procedure allows us to do that quickly and with confidence. We hope that, at the end of the day, we are saving lives either by diagnosing
pancreatic cancer early on before it develops into
cancer, or we are preventing unnecessary surgery of a benign, harmless
pancreatic cyst."
The new diagnostic method tested in the study provides doctors with a microscopic view of the
cyst wall, which is produced by a tiny scope that emits laser light inside the
cyst. This allows doctors to determine almost immediately if it is
precancerous.
Dr Krishna, who is an associate professor in Ohio State's College of Medicine and is also affiliated with The Ohio State University Comprehensive
Cancer Cente ie Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC—James) further added, "Many times, we are able to tell the patient right after the procedure. You have a
precancerous cyst, and we need to send you to the surgeon to have it removed.'"
Majority of patients get diagnosed with
pancreatic cysts incidentally when getting a MRI or CT scan for another reason. Nearly 40% of MRIs done of the abdomen reveal
pancreatic cysts and the chance of having them increases with age.
More than 445,000 people globally die of
pancreatic cancer each year, making it the third-leading cause of
cancer deaths. Patients usually don't have symptoms u
ntil the
cancer is advanced, making early diagnosis and treatment a challenge.
The researchers from Ohio State University are now working to train doctors at hospitals nationwide to perform this new diagnostic method and read the images provided by the scope to catch dangerous
cysts and prevent
pancreatic cancer for more patients. They're also working to develop artificial intelligence that will flag cases that are likely
precancerous so doctors can act quickly.
Reference
: Somashekar G. Krishna et al. Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy Increases Accuracy of Differentiation of Pancreatic Cystic Lesions,
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2019).
DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2019.06.010 
