Early detection and interception of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remain the only realistic strategies to reduce mortality and meaningfully extend survival. 1 Among established precursors, cystic neoplasms - primarily intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) and mucinous cystic neoplasms - offer a unique, although infrequent, window for secondary prevention.
Retrospective analyses indicate that fewer than 10% of PDACs arise from cystic precursors. 2 Yet, preventing even this proportion would constitute a major clinical breakthrough and could spare thousands of patients from a highly lethal malignancy.
Over the past decade, high-resolution genomic and transcriptomic technologies have transformed our understanding of PDAC and its microscopic and macroscopic precursors. Among them, IPMNs have been the principal focus due to their relative prevalence and the clinical complexities inherent to their management.
Before the advent of widespread multi-omic profiling, combined radiological, histopathological, immunophenotypical and targeted genetic studies had already recognised distinct IPMN subtypes. Three major entities are...
Gut (BMJ) published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 06 Mar 2026.
The item focuses on From IPMN to invasive pancreatic cancer: new spatial insights.
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