Genetic Testing of Pancreatic Cyst Fluid Accurately Detects Pre Cancerous and Early Cancer Lesions
“Pancreatic cysts are common and are often detected incidentally,” says Shounak Majumder, M.B.B.S., a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist. “The majority of these cysts are benign. However, a subset is premalignant, and the risk of pancreatic cancer in these patients is significantly higher than the general population.” Read more . . . Mayo Clinic researchers have found that a panel of methylated DNA markers in pancreatic cyst fluid can accurately detect advanced precancerous lesions and early cancer in pancreatic cysts. Hypermethylation is a process thought to play a role in silencing of tumor suppressor genes, which are involved in controlling cell growth and division. Uncontrolled cell growth and division can lead to cancer development.
