# Project 3 : Diagnosis and Management of Pancreatic Cysts

> **NIH NIH P50** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $387,688

## Abstract

ABSTRACT: Over one million individuals are identified with pancreatic cysts every year. IPMNs and MCNs,
are pre-cursors to pancreatic cancer, and offer the opportunity for the early detection, or even prevention, of
pancreatic cancer. In contrast, serous cystadenomas or pseudocysts, are benign. Currently tools are
inadequate to fully delineate these lesions prior to surgical resection, with up to 68% of the operations
performed on patients with a pancreatic cyst ultimately found to be unnecessary. Guidelines recommend
lifelong surveillance for IPMNs, however this is based on the lowest level of scientific evidence. Furthermore,
no data exists on the molecular progression of IPMNs and MCNs in situ. We developed a Comprehensive Cyst
(CompCyst) EUS companion test which combines clinical, radiological, genetic and protein marker data. In an
initial evaluation of 862 surgically resected pancreatic cysts, the CompCyst test had a superior performance for
identifying cysts which required surgery, needed surveillance, or were benign, compared with the current
routine evaluation. The Aims of the proposed project are to: Aim 1: Evaluate the genetic and clinical natural
history of pancreatic cysts in a prospective international study. Aim 2: Evaluation and optimization of
approaches for the management of pancreatic cysts. Aim 3: Develop a Second-Generation CompCyst test
(CompCyst2). The overarching goal of Project 3 is to develop a clinically relevant tool which will be
incorporated into clinical practice and will improve outcomes for patients with pancreatic cysts, specifically
avoiding unnecessary surveillance or surgical resection.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10246370
- **Project number:** 5P50CA062924-27
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Anne Marie Lennon
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $387,688
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1997-02-28 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10246370

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10246370, Project 3 : Diagnosis and Management of Pancreatic Cysts (5P50CA062924-27). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10246370. Licensed CC0.

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