Researchers have developed a new method that identifies the pancreatic cancer's visible precursors with 97 per cent accuracy.
The method, which is expected to aid in the early discovery of the cancer as well as minimise the risk of unnecessary surgery, may be introduced in patient care within five years, researchers said.
Pancreatic cancer is often detected at a late stage, which results in poor prognosis and limited treatment options.
The poor prognosis, where only 5 per cent of the patients survive five years after the diagnosis, is due to the fact that the tumours often develop unnoticed, and rarely cause symptoms until they have spread to other organs.
Recent studies, however, have shown that fluid-filled compartments in the pancreas, called cysts, may be precursors of the cancer.
Cysts in the pancreas, which are found in every 10th person above the age of 70, and are also common in younger people, can be discovered with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The problem is that imaging alone cannot determine which cysts are at risk for developing into cancer.
Removing the cyst by surgery, with the knowledge that it may turn out to be completely benign, is also problematic since the operation is extensive, with considerable risks for the patient.
Researchers at The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, have now developed a method which can predict with 97 per cent certainty which pancreatic cysts constitute precursors to cancer.
With this method, which detects the presence of mucus protein, mucins, in the cystic fluid, the researchers were able to reach the correct diagnosis in 77 of 79 cysts that were examined.
"This is an exceptionally good result for a diagnostic test, and we are very hopeful that the method will enable more instances of early discovery of pancreatic cancer, at a stage when the cancer can be treated or prevented," said Karolina Jabbar, physician at The Sahlgrenska University Hospital.
"This approach may also minimise the risk of unnecessary operations on non-malignant cysts," Jabbar said.
The researchers have also tested the new method in order to analyse existing tumours and, with about 90 per cent certainty, have been able to determine which tumours have already developed into cancers.
This means that the method could also be used to determine which patients require immediate surgery, and when it is instead possible to wait and monitor the development of the cyst.
The research was published in the journal cancer.
