Pancreatic adenoma is a disease that does not occur often. It develops a neoplasm from glandular epithelium and islet cells. Pancreatic adenoma can be benign and malignant. The latter is determined by the presence of metastases.
According to functional manifestations, adenomas are divided into hormonal-active and inactive. So, hormone-active is insuloma - a tumor, the cells of which produce insulin. The adenoma of the islet apparatus is characterized by the presence of hyperinsulinism syndrome and hypoglycemia. With a mild form of the disease, the excess insulin in the body manifests itself by increased sweating during physical exertion or starvation, as well as weakness, flushing of the head, nausea and pain in the upper abdomen. Heavy form is associated with loss of consciousness and cramps. Adenoma is an indication for the resection of the pancreas.
Hormonal-inactive adenomas do not manifest themselves clinically, so they are discovered quite by accident.
Adenoma refers to cystic tumors. In modern medicine, five variants of such neoplasms are distinguished: serous cystadenoma, mucinous cystadenoma, borderline cystic tumor, cystadenocarcinoma and intrapropatic papillary-mucinous tumor.
Serous pancreatic cystadenoma is in most cases a multi-compartment cyst with a clear liquid. It can be located in any department of the body. The cause of its development is not precisely established, but presumably this formation develops from the acini of the pancreas.
Distinctive feature of serous cyst - a lot of partitions in the cavity, dividing its cavity into numerous chambers. This structure is called microcystic. Serous cystoadenoma is a benign tumor that has a low risk of malignant transformation, but, unfortunately, such cases sometimes occur.
Mucinous cystadenoma is a large cyst with two to five septa. It is located mainly in the tail of the pancreas. Its cavity is filled with viscous mucus. This neoplasm is characterized by a high potential to transform into malignant, as in the course of time its epithelium forms separate areas of dysplasia. Therefore, a separate group of border cysts was identified, which are transient tumors from benign cystoadenoma to malignant cystadenocarcinoma.
Symptoms and treatment of pancreatic cystoadenoma
Pancreatic adenomas( cystoadenomas), in medical practice, are rare. Malignant tumors of this nature are determined by the formation of distant metastases, which become the cause of the syndrome of hyperinsulinism and hypoglycemia. The mild forms of this disease are characterized by increased pressure, tachycardia, nausea, weakness. In more severe cases of the disease, the patient complains of persistent cramps and impaired consciousness.
The primary method of eliminating the symptoms of adenoma is to stabilize the level of insulin produced by the pancreas. This solution allows you to raise the vitality of the patient and relieve him of weakness, nausea and high blood pressure. In the case of the detection of malignant adenoma, the level of development of which is capable of causing irreparable harm to the patient, the doctor prescribes the resection procedure. This surgical treatment of the patient is aimed at removing a part of the pancreas that serves as a local tumor location and helps to prevent the threat of human life.