Successful Pancreatic Cancer Screening Among Individuals at Elevated Risk Using Endoscopic Ultrasound and Magnetic...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Gastroenterology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma (PC) screening guidelines are evolving from specialized university hospitals.
• Implementing PC screening in community settings requires adapted protocols for individuals at risk (IAR).

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a screening protocol for IAR of PC in a community hospital.
• To analyze pancreatic conditions and their risk factor associations in a community-based IAR cohort.
• To assess the outcomes and complications of PC screening using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Main Methods:

• Eligibility for screening was determined by germline status and/or family history of PC.
• A longitudinal testing protocol alternated between EUS and MRI for IAR.
• Pancreatic conditions and screening outcomes were analyzed over a 93-month period.

Main Results:

• 25% of 102 participants had abnormal pancreatic findings on baseline EUS.
• Increasing age was associated with a higher likelihood of abnormal findings.
• Two participants (1.8%) required surgery for premalignant lesions; EUS and MRI showed reliable results.

Conclusions:

• Baseline EUS is effective in detecting pancreatic abnormalities in IAR within a community hospital setting.
• Advancing age is a significant predictor of abnormalities in PC screening.
• PC screening programs for IAR can be successfully implemented in community hospitals.