Navigating Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm Management through Fukuoka Consensus vs. European Evidence-Based Guidelines on Pancreatic Cystic Neoplasms—A Study on Two European Centers.

Simple Summary: This research delves into the realm of pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCNs), specifically focusing on a subtype with a high malignancy potential that is known as intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs). By analyzing data from 113 patients across two European medical centers, this study assesses the effectiveness of two key guidelines, the Fukuoka consensus guidelines and the European evidence-based guidelines, in diagnosing severe disease stages in IPMNs. The findings reveal comparable diagnostic accuracies between the guidelines, highlighting the importance of personalized patient care and the potential indicators for surgical intervention. This study underscores the need for continuous research to refine these guidelines to improve patient outcomes and deepen our understanding of PCNs. Through this research, the authors seek to contribute to more accurate diagnosis and treatment strategies, ultimately influencing the broader medical community's approach to managing these complex cystic formations in the pancreas. This study addresses the critical need for the accurate diagnosis and management of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs), which are pancreatic cystic neoplasm types holding a substantial potential for malignancy. It evaluates the diagnostic effectiveness of the Fukuoka consensus guidelines and the European evidence-based guidelines in detecting high-grade dysplasia/invasive carcinoma in IPMNs, utilizing a retrospective analysis of 113 patients from two European medical centers. The methods include a comparative analysis of clinical, radiological, and endoscopic ultrasonography data, alongside an assessment of guideline-driven diagnostic performance. The results demonstrate that both guidelines offer similar accuracy in identifying severe disease stages in IPMNs, with certain clinical markers—such as jaundice, solid mass presence, and an increase in CA 19-9 levels—being pivotal in predicting the need for surgical intervention. This study concludes that while both guidelines provide valuable frameworks for IPMN management, there is an inherent need for further research to refine these protocols and improve patient-specific treatment strategies. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on optimizing diagnostic and treatment paradigms for pancreatic cystic neoplasms, aiming to enhance clinical outcomes and patient care in this challenging medical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]