Pancreatic cysts can cause pain and affect your ability to eat. It’s a condition that impacts your nutrition and quality of life. Our pancreatic cyst specialists at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute can give you the supportive, compassionate care you need.
We blend a gentle approach to care with multidisciplinary expertise and innovation that can relieve your symptoms and protect your health. Our experts work together to diagnose your cysts and create a personalized treatment plan.
As your healthcare partner, we’ll walk with you every step of your journey to better well-being. Our goal is to help you get back to the activities you enjoy the most.
Your pancreas is located between your stomach and intestines. It contains two types of cells: exocrine cells and endocrine cells. Exocrine cells make up most of your pancreas. These cells produce the enzymes that help your body digest food. Endocrine cells make hormones that control your blood sugar levels, including insulin.
Pancreatic cysts are fluid-filled sacs that develop in your pancreas. Usually, they are the result of inflammation. Most cysts are noncancerous (benign). However, some can be precancerous spots that one day develop into cancer.
If our experts think you have cysts, they will run imaging tests to determine the type of cyst. They will also suggest a surveillance program to monitor your cyst’s growth.
According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate after the removal of a precancerous or noninvasive cyst is nearly 100 percent. If a person has invasive cancer, the five-year survival rate drops to between 65 percent and 75 percent.
Our specialists can determine which type of pancreatic cyst you have. There are several types that can develop.
Most pancreatic cysts don’t produce symptoms. Our experts detect most cysts through abdominal imaging studies that are ordered for another reason. If you do experience signs, they can include:
In rare cases, pancreatic cysts can get infected. If you experience fever and abdominal pain that won’t go away, see your doctor. It’s also rare for a pancreatic cyst to rupture. But if it does, it’s a medical emergency. A burst cyst can cause an abdominal infection (peritonitis), so seek immediate care.
Even though most pancreatic cysts are noncancerous, early detection is vital. The potential for cancer to develop still exists. So, it’s important to know your risk factors.
While having these factors doesn’t mean you will develop pancreatic cysts, they will put you at an increased risk. Our specialists at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute can help you identify and understand the risk factors that are unique to you.
In most cases, our experts can’t identify the cause of your pancreatic cysts. But a few risk factors do exist, including:
Because we don’t always know the cause of your pancreatic cysts, there’s no guaranteed way to prevent them or lower your risk. But you can lower your risk for developing pancreatitis. Our experts at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute recommend adopting these healthy lifestyle behaviors:
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