Open AccessIntraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasia of the pancreas: Histopathology and molecular biology
Author(s) -
Caroline Verbeke
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
world journal of gastrointestinal surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1948-9366
DOI - 10.4240/wjgs.v2.i10.306
Subject(s) - intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm , pancreas , dysplasia , histopathology , pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia , pathology , pancreatic cancer , context (archaeology) , epithelial dysplasia , medicine , pancreatic duct , cancer , biology , pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma , paleontology
Intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas is a clinically and morphologically distinctive precursor lesion of pancreatic cancer, characterized by gradual progression through a sequence of neoplastic changes. Based on the nature of the constituting neoplastic epithelium, degree of dysplasia and location within the pancreatic duct system, IPMNs are divided in several types which differ in their biological properties and clinical outcome. Molecular analysis and recent animal studies suggest that IPMNs develop in the context of a field-defect and reveal their possible relationship with other neoplastic precursor lesions of pancreatic cancer.