Pancreatic Polyp

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Pancreatic polyp

Content:

• Pancreatic polyp symptoms
• Pancreatic polyp reasons
• Diagnosis of a pancreatic polyp
• Pancreatic polyp treatment

A pancreatic polyp is a benign growth that is not prone to rapid growth. In order not to mislead readers, it is worth mentioning right away that polypous growths in this organ of the digestive system cannot arise in principle. This is due to the fact that there are no large cavities in the pancreas, as well as mucous membranes from which the polyp could grow. It can form only in the organ duct, but it is almost impossible to detect it there, and besides, such a tumor does not give any symptoms. Therefore, most often, the phrase "pancreatic polyp" means a cyst, hemangioma, fibroma, lipoma, leiomyoma, neuroma or schwannoma.

In general, a benign tumor is extremely rare in the pancreas. According to statistics, such neoplasms are diagnosed in no more than 3 people out of a million.

Pancreatic polyp symptoms

As a rule, all benign hormonal tumors of the organ, except for cystic formations, do not give any symptoms.

They manifest themselves only as they reach impressive sizes:

• Due to the pressure on neighboring organs, a person may experience painful sensations. Their nature is constant, aching, sometimes they are able to intensify with a change in body position;
• Depending on where the tumor appeared, the localization of painful sensations will differ. If the neoplasm is in the body of an organ, then the upper abdomen hurts, if in its head, unpleasant sensations are localized in the epigastrium, if in the tail, the left hypochondrium hurts;
• When there is pressure on the intestines, obstruction may occur.

Those tumors that produce hormones can have a more radical effect on the body.

It all depends on what kind of hormone the neoplasm produces:

• If there is excessive insulin secretion, then the patient experiences constant weakness, suffers from excessive sweating. Such patients are often irritable, they have attacks of tachycardia and dizziness;
• If the tumor produces gastrin, then it causes the formation of many ulcers in the stomach and intestines. The patient experiences discomfort in the epigastric region. The pain can be quite intense. In addition, there is heartburn, belching with acidic contents, and intestinal motility is impaired. This causes disruptions in the digestion process, as well as diarrhea;

• With excessive production of glucagon, the patient begins to rapidly lose weight, he has signs of anemia. The surface of the tongue becomes scarlet and smooth. A rash appears on the body like erythema migrans. More often it is localized in the groin area and on the thighs. Mucous membranes are affected. Almost all patients have stomatitis or gingivitis, and women have vaginitis. Diabetes mellitus is another sign of a glucagon-producing tumor.

As for the pancreatic cyst, it can manifest itself as follows:

• Painful sensations localized in the upper abdomen;
• Increased fatigue and weakness;
• Increase in body temperature not associated with infectious diseases;
• Diarrhea.

All these symptoms appear when the formation reaches an impressive size. If the cyst is small, then it can be detected only by chance, during a routine ultrasound examination.

Causes of pancreatic polyp

There are certain factors that can affect the growth and development of a neoplasm:

• Genetic predisposition to the process of neoplastic tissue degeneration;
• Living in areas with an unfavorable environmental situation;
• Adherence to bad habits, in particular, smoking and alcohol abuse;
• Inflammatory processes in the organ. Most often, tumors develop against the background of chronic pancreatitis;
• Improper nutrition. If fatty foods prevail in the menu, there is a lack of fiber, vitamins and microelements, then this can lead to the formation of benign formations of the pancreas. Irregular food intake, as well as overeating are provoking factors;
• The appearance of a tumor can be provoked by the resulting organ injuries, as well as internal hemorrhages as a result of various diseases.

Diagnosis of a pancreatic polyp

To detect a tumor, an ultrasound examination will be required. The referral to the patient is given by a gastroenterologist. The disadvantage of this diagnostic method is that it does not allow visualization of small tumors that produce hormones. Therefore, if you suspect a similar neoplasm of the pancreas, it is advisable to undergo MRI and CT. This will make it possible to examine the organ in more detail.

In addition, scintigraphy and angiography may be done. These methods are advisable if insulomas, gastrinomas and hemangiomas are suspected. In order to exclude the presence of atypical cells, it is necessary to conduct a biopsy followed by a study of the material obtained.

From laboratory diagnostic methods, a biochemical blood test is performed, as well as the determination of specific tumor markers, the level of which should not normally be increased.

Pancreatic polyp treatment

It will not be possible to get rid of a benign pancreatic tumor using conservative methods. The patient will need surgical treatment.

The type of surgery can be as follows:

• Enucleation. This procedure allows you to save the patient from the formations located on the surface of the organ. However, their size should not exceed 20 mm, and the slightest risks of their malignancy should be absent. To prevent bleeding, the electrocoagulation method is used, and the bed of the existing tumor itself must be carefully sutured. This method of treatment allows you to keep the organ functioning;
• Resection. This method of surgical intervention involves the removal of a certain part of the organ along with the existing neoplasm. A similar operation is carried out with large tumors, as well as with their malignancy. A separate resection of the tail or the head of the gland, or pancreatoduodenal resection, when part of the duodenum is subject to additional removal, can be performed separately;
• Endovascular arterial embolization. The essence of the procedure is that the blood vessels supplying the existing neoplasm are blocked. The result is the death of tumor tissue. A hydrogel or occluder is used as an embolizing material. This is a very effective and less traumatic method of treatment.

In the case when multiple benign formations are found in the patient, and resection is impossible, the patient is prescribed symptomatic therapy. It will depend on which hormone is produced by the tumor. Most often, drugs are required to lower blood sugar levels. In this case, it is impossible to do without a maintenance diet.

It is worth talking about nutritional therapy separately, since it will be necessary after the operation. You will have to adhere to a strict diet for a long time, and sometimes throughout your life.

General principles of nutrition:

• You need to consume food in small portions, at least 5 times a day. It is important to follow your diet and try to have breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same time. This will avoid unnecessary stress on the organ, as it will prepare it in advance for the next meal;
• The patient will need to give up fried and baked foods. Possible cooking methods are boiling, stewing, or steaming;
• At the first time after surgery, food is rubbed or boiled down to a mucous state;
• It is worth giving up the consumption of canned food and semi-finished meat products. As for meat in an unprocessed form, it should be of low-fat varieties. It is advisable to eat poultry and fish.

Most often, the patient is advised to adhere to dietary table number five. It will be possible to return to the previous menu only after consulting a doctor.

If a patient has multiple gastrinomas, then drugs such as Omeprazole, Ranitidine, Famotidine are shown to him. They are aimed at eliminating gastric hypersecretion.

There is no effective prevention of the disease. Therefore, only rational nutrition and refusal to drink alcohol can be recommended. If symptoms of a gastrointestinal tract disease appear, you should immediately seek medical advice.

As for the prognosis for recovery, then with the timely detection of a benign neoplasm of the pancreas, it is most often favorable. It should be noted that such tumors are rarely malignant. However, the risk of developing intestinal obstruction or mechanical jaundice makes doctors recommend surgical removal of the formation.

The author of the article: Gorshenina Elena Ivanovna | Gastroenterologist

Education: Diploma in the specialty "General Medicine" received at the Russian State Medical University named after N. I. Pirogova (2005). Postgraduate studies in the specialty "Gastroenterology" - educational and scientific medical center.