Highlights in ipmn: mini-review

Intra-ductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas are neoplasms that are characterized by ductal dilation, intra-ductal papillary growth, and thick mucus secretion. It was first defined by Ohashi et al. in 1982 .It has been reported that the prevalence of IPMNs were 13 to 20%. In general, compared with malignant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, IPMNs have better prognosis. They can be devided in two groups: Main Duct IPMN (MD-IPMN) and Branch-Duct IPMN (BD-IPMN). The risk of malignancy is higher in patients with MD-IPMN or mixed-IPMN than the BD-IPMN type (70 versus 25%, respectively).