Aim: To examine the coexistence of metachronous and synchronous cancer in branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas (IPMN).
Methods: We reviewed the records of 145 patients with branch duct IPMN between January 1991 and April 2008 and assessed the relationship between IPMN and intra- or extra-pancreatic carcinoma and the outcome of IPMN.
Results: The mean observation period was 55.9 +/- 45.3 mo. Among the 145 patients, the frequency of extra-pancreatic cancer was 29.0%. The frequency of gastric cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, and pancreatic cancer were 25.5%, 15.7%, 13.7%, and 9.8%, respectively. Twenty (13.8%) of the patients died. The cause of death was extra-pancreatic carcinoma in 40%, pancreatic cancer in 25%, IPMN per se in 20%, and benign disease in 15% of the patients.
Conclusion: The prognosis for IPMN depends not on the IPMN per se, but on the presence of intra- or extra-pancreatic cancer.
Keywords: Extra-pancreatic cancer; Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas; Long-term follow-up; Pancreatic cancer; Prognosis.