Cyst on Pancreas?

Wishing you the best results possible, @caroline24. Looking forward to hearing from you again!

I recently had Abdomen/Pelvic ct scan because I had epigastric pain. One hospital found what looked like Vasculitis of hepatic artery and pelvic viscera. Another hospital found inflammation of hepatic artery but ruled out Vasculitis
They also found .7 cm lesion on spleen, .4cm pancreatic neck, IPMN side branch, and scattered foci in both kidneys too small to characterize.
I’ve had follow up with rheumatologist who informed me I didn’t have Vasculitis. I’ve had no other follow up. I don’t know what to do. So, I reached out to Mayo Clinic to schedule an appointment. I missed their call today. I will call back tomorrow morning.
That seems like a lot to find

I read your posts and it sounds like you don’t have cancer which is a wonderful ending to your story.
I’ve had GI issues for a couple of years- nauseous, indigestion, bloating, and plain miserable at times. I had an abdominal CT scans 16 months ago because of all my GI issues and my pancreas was normal, but I do have fatty liver.
I had another CT done last week because I can’t get rid of all this indigestion, bloating, trapped gas feeling, and GERD and they found a 0.8 CM cystic lesion in my uncinate process, possible IPMN without duct dilation or inflammation and suggested I come back in 1-2 years for a repeat CT or MRI.
This is not sitting well with me mainly because of all my GI symptoms. Any suggestions from people would be highly appreciated.

Sorry for all the pain and discomfort you have been experiencing, CJM. Consider getting a second opinion, perhaps going to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

Hello @cjmchicago and welcome to Mayo Connect. As I also have had pancreatic cysts (IPMN) for over 10 years, I was interested in your post and wanted to respond. My IPMN was discovered on a CT scan for something different and follow-up has continued. At first, every year, then after a couple of years with no changes, it is now checked every other year by an MRI.

You mentioned having a lot of gastric symptoms. Have you had an upper endoscopy? If not, you might request this to make sure there are no other gastric problems that need to be dealt with.

How are you dealing with the symptoms? Have you made any adjustments to your diet? It can be helpful to keep a written log of what you eat and when your symptoms are the worst. It is also goof for GERD patients to eat small, frequent meals, rather than large meals.

Have you found any prescription meds or over-the-counter products that give you relief? I look forward to hearing from you again.

Hi,
Thanks for commenting on my post.
I did have an upper GI and colonoscopy 7 months ago and I have mild gastric reflux only. I’ve had GERD symptoms for years and used to take omeprazole daily until it stopped working a couple of years ago. Now I just try to stay away from all the triggers like coffee, fried foods, or over eating too many fatty foods. I also had lipase, amalyze, and many other labs- no cancer markers though- and they are all normal. I’ve had so much anxiety around my GI issues and since they could never find anything wrong with me, they presumed I have functional dyspepsia and need to seek therapy for my anxiety disorder. It’s hard for me to decipher whether my GI symptoms would be minor but are being severely exacerbated by horrible worry and panic about them. Since my symptoms have persisted chronically (definitely worse under stress/worry) I had another CT w contrast last week and that’s when they found the 0.8 CM IPMN in my uncinate process without duct dilation or surrounding inflammation and my PCP recommends coming back in 1 year for a repeat CT or MRI. It seems odd because I had a CT scan 15 months ago and my pancreas was normal.
Now, after hearing this news and researching online about IPMN’s, it’s put me into a panic with even more GI symptoms and back pain almost like trapped gas which is causing back pain and stomach cramps.
I have an appointment with a new gastroenterologist on Friday to see what he thinks. Reading about IPMN’s online has been somewhat frightening and it sounds like in time I will have to have surgery and there is a pretty significant chance I will develop pancreatic cancer.

It’s great to hear you have been ok for 10 years! Were you frightened initially, or are you still worried about it? Is there anything else that you do besides get a repeat MRI every couple years?
Thanks again for your support.

@cjmchicago

I was frightened when this was first seen on a CT scan. I previously had three surgeries for a rare form of cancer near the pancreas and, very quickly, I came up with the worst-case scenario. I also had an ERCP
(here is a link that explains this test), https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-ercp which made me more comfortable with the pancreatic cyst diagnosis.

After many years of follow-up, I've been able to relax and have the MRIs done every two years without so much anxiety.

The fact your pancreatic blood work is normal is great! The pain you are experiencing could certainly be related to other digestive problems.

How is your appetite? Have you experienced any weight loss? It is always good to get a second opinion. It may help to put your mind at ease.

Please post whenever you have questions or concerns. I would love to hear from you after your next consultation. Will you post again?

Thanks for your response. I’m happy to hear your other cancers were treated and it sounds like you’re doing ok. 👍🏻 cancer runs deep in my family- lung, brain, breast, and lymphoma.
I met with a GI doc yesterday and she wants to get a MRCP and Ag 19-9 marker. She didn’t seem to concerned because of the size, location, and no ductal dilation or inflammation noted on the CT scan. She also does not think my GI issues are related to the 0.8 CM IPMN. She wants to test me for SIBO and gastroparesis.
I am losing weight because my stomach feels so bloated, nauseated, gas pains, and constant belching which makes me not want to eat. I’m also so worried about my stomach issues since they first started 16 months ago so I can’t decipher whether my stomach issues are mostly from the long-term constant worry and anxiety about my symptoms or if there’s really something else going on. I probably could benefit from a mental health therapist either way.
Thanks again for responding to my post. It’s nice to talk to someone who understands.

I have a 0.8 CM in the uncinate process that my doctor seems unconcerned about also. I know your post is old, but have you had any follow up since 2022?

Hi @cjmchicago,

I'm glad to hear about your appointment with the GI specialist yesterday. The MRCP and Ag 19-9 marker, should be good tests to relieve your anxiety about pancreatic cancer. Having a family history of cancer can create undue anxiety about health issues in general.

The other tests for SIBO and gastroparesis will also be helpful I follow a diet for gastroparesis and it has relieved a lot of my stomach pains and bloating. It is called a low-fiber diet.

When you have a lot of anxiety a visit with a therapist is a good idea. I have had three surgeries for cancer and I understand how anxiety can skyrocket.

Will you keep posting and let me know how you are doing?