Cystic tumors of the pancreas : serous cystadenoma and mucinous cystic neoplasm

Serous cystadenoma and mucinous cystic neoplasm are acquired neoplastic cysts, which together account for approximately 10-15% of all pancreatic cysts. When a cystic lesion is encountered, the first priority is to determine whether it is an inflammatory or neoplastic cyst. Failure to recognize the true nature of a neoplastic cyst will lead to an incorrect treatment strategy. Despite progress made in diagnostic techniques, the pre-operative differentiation between benign and malignant cystic neoplasms of the pancreas remains problematic. This chapter aims at an attempt to analyze and discuss these problems.