Precursor Lesions for Sporadic Pancreatic Cancer: PanIN, IPMN, and MCN

Table 2

Core characteristics of cystic lesions of the pancreas (adapted from [47]).

	IPMN	SCN	MCN	SPN	Pseudocysts
Mean age (years)	60–70	70	40–50	30	30–50
Sex	60–70%; male	90%; female	>95%; female	90%; female	70–80%; male
Localization (average)	Pancreatic head	Pancreatic tail	Pancreatic body and tail	Pancreatic body and tail	Pancreas ubiquitary
Imaging and MPD	Segmental or diffuse enlargement of the MPD and obligatory communication to the MPD	Microcystic lesion with central scar and calcification (or macrocystic lesion without central scar possible); no connection to the MPD	Macrocystic lesion with septation and calcification of the wall; no connection to the MPD	Mixed solid cystic lesion; no connection to the MPD	Macrocystic lesion without septation; connection to the MPD and probably signs of pancreatitis; enlargement of MPD possible
CEA in cyst	High	Low	High	Low	Low
Mucin production	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Amylase in cyst	High	Low	Low	Low	High

MPD: main pancreatic duct; CEA: carcinoembryonic antigen; IPMN: intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm; SCN: serous cystic neoplasm; MCN: mucinous cystic neoplasm; SPN: solid pseudopapillary neoplasm.