[Progress in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer with acute pancreatitis as the initial symptom]

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer patients often have complaints such as upper abdominal pain and obstructive jaundice when seeking diagnosis and treatment. However, acute pancreatitis as a rare initial clinical manifestation of pancreatic cancer is often overlooked in clinical practice. This oversight often leads to a delayed diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, uncertainty in treatment strategies, and significantly affects patients' quality of life and prognosis. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment, and active follow-up are crucial for patients with acute pancreatitis as an initial symptom of pancreatic cancer. Upon admission to such patients, common causes such as gallstones, alcohol abuse, and hyperlipidemia should be initially ruled out. Evaluation with tumor markers, CT and MRI, and endoscopic ultrasound are essential to confirm the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. For patients with mild pancreatitis, managing peripancreatic inflammation first before radical resection of pancreatic cancer could reduce postoperative complications. Moreover, pancreatitis serves as a high-risk factor for pancreatic cancer, so it is crucial to closely follow up patients with pancreatitis to detect pancreatic cancer early.