Chronic Pancreatitis with Synchronous and Metachronous Malignancy: Three Unusual Cases and a Literature Review

Hypothesis

Chronic pancreatitis is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. The association between these 2 disease processes is not well known. We present 3 unusual cases of pancreatitis associated with pancreatic cancer and review the possible mechanisms that can cause pancreatitis to degenerate into pancreatic cancer.

Design

A case series reviewing 3 unusual cases of chronic pancreatitis associated with pancreatic cancer. The patients’ charts are reviewed, and a literature search is performed looking for chronic pancreatitis associated with pancreatic cancer.

Setting

The cases were performed at a small community hospital in New York City, New York.

Participants

The surgeons involved are experienced pancreatic surgeons with a large referral group. The endoscopies were performed by gastroenterologists with years of experience in biliary and pancreatic disease.

Results

The cases and the literature review support the hypothesis that there is an association between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.

Conclusions

Three unusual case of chronic pancreatitis, 2 with synchronous and 1 with metachronous malignancies, are presented. The pathway of benign to malignant change is reviewed, and the constant awareness that pancreatitis is associated with malignancy must be kept in mind.

Key Words: pancreatitis, chronic, cancer, pancreas

Competency: Medical Knowledge