Pancreatic cysts

ARTICLE SECTIONS

Definition

Pancreatic cysts are diagnosed more often now than in the past, but not because more people have them. Instead, improved imaging technology has made pancreatic cysts easier to find. In fact, many cysts in the pancreas — a large gland that produces digestive enzymes and hormones — are found during abdominal scans for other problems.

The good news is that most pancreatic cysts aren't cancerous. The bad news is that it's often difficult to be sure which cysts are benign and which are malignant. Your doctor may want to take a sample of the fluid in the cyst to help in the diagnosis. If you have a cyst that either is or can become cancerous, surgical removal is necessary.

Most pancreatic cysts aren't technically cysts at all. Called pseudocysts, these pockets of digestive fluids aren't lined with the type of cells found in true cysts. Instead, a pseudocyst's walls may include cells normally found in other abdominal organs, such as the stomach, intestines and the pancreas itself. Pseudocysts are not cancerous.

Symptoms