Pancreatic adenocarcinoma and biliary tract tumor morphology and classic presenting features, one finding per card.
30 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- Where in the pancreas do most pancreatic adenocarcinomas arise?
- The head of the pancreas.
- What precursor lesion gives rise to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma?
- Pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN).
- What is the most common histologic subtype of pancreatic cancer?
- Ductal adenocarcinoma.
- Why does a tumor in the head of the pancreas classically cause painless jaundice?
- It compresses and obstructs the common bile duct.
- What is Courvoisier sign?
- A palpable, nontender, distended gallbladder in a jaundiced patient, suggesting malignant biliary obstruction.
- What is Trousseau sign (syndrome) in the context of malignancy?
- Migratory superficial thrombophlebitis, a paraneoplastic finding classically linked to pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
- Which oncogene is mutated in the vast majority of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas?
- KRAS.
- Which tumor suppressor gene, involved in TGF-beta signaling, is commonly inactivated in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma?
- SMAD4 (DPC4).
- Which serum tumor marker is used to monitor pancreatic adenocarcinoma?
- CA 19-9.
- What is the leading modifiable risk factor for pancreatic adenocarcinoma?
- Cigarette smoking.
- What chronic pancreatic condition raises the risk of pancreatic adenocarcinoma?
- Chronic pancreatitis.
- What is the typical prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma?
- Poor, since most patients present at an advanced or unresectable stage.
- Why do tumors in the body or tail of the pancreas often present later than head tumors?
- They do not obstruct the bile duct, so there is no early jaundice.
- What stromal reaction characteristically surrounds pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma on histology?
- A dense desmoplastic (fibrous) stroma.
- What surgical procedure is used to resect a tumor in the head of the pancreas?
- Whipple procedure (pancreaticoduodenectomy).