| Abstract: | For detection of early cancer of the pancreas,endoscopic aspiration cytology of pancreatic juicewithout endoscopic retrograde pancreatography wasperformed in 64 consecutive outpatients who had symptoms or findings that suggested pancreatic disease.Patients with positive or suspicious cytologic resultsor abnormal US findings were admitted and underwentdetailed examinations. Positive and suspicious cytologic results were obtained in 2 and 10 patients,respectively. Of those with positive and suspiciouscytologic results, two, and one patient, respectively,were ultimately found to have pancreatic neoplasms. Of these three resected specimens, one was insitu carcinoma and two presented marked atypia. Allpatients were alive with no evidence of recurrence. Nofurther cases of pancreatic neoplasm were found. Complications from the procedure did notdevelop in any patient. This technique is useful in thediagnosis of early neoplasms of the pancreas, because itis simple and safe to perform for outpatients. |
