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IntroductionDespite evidence-based guidelines, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide insight into the current opinion and clinical decision-making of international pancreatologists regarding the management of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.MethodsAn online survey and case vignette study was sent to experts in chronic pancreatitis and members of various pancreatic associations: EPC, E-AHPBA and DPSG. Experts were selected based on publication record from the past 5 years.ResultsOverall, 252 pancreatologists participated of whom 44% had ≥ 15 years of experience and 35% treated ≥ 50 patients with chronic pancreatitis per year. Screening for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency as part of the diagnostic work-up for chronic pancreatitis is performed by 69% and repeated annually by 21%. About 74% considers nutritional assessment to be part of the standard work-up. Patients are most frequently screened for deficiencies of calcium (47%), iron (42%), vitamin D (61%) and albumin (59%). In case of clinically steatorrhea, 71% prescribes enzyme supplementation. Of all pancreatologists, 40% refers more than half of their patients to a dietician. Despite existing guidelines, 97% supports the need for more specific and tailored instructions regarding the management of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.ConclusionThis survey identified a lack of consensus and substantial practice variation among international pancreatologists regarding guidelines pertaining the management of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. These results highlight the need for further adaptation of these guidelines according to current expert opinion and the level of available scientific evidence. Introduction: Despite evidence-based guidelines, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide insight into the current opinion and clinical decision-making of international pancreatologists regarding the management of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Methods: An online survey and case vignette study was sent to experts in chronic pancreatitis and members of various pancreatic associations: EPC, E-AHPBA and DPSG. Experts were selected based on publication record from the past 5 years. Results: Overall, 252 pancreatologists participated of whom 44% had ≥ 15 years of experience and 35% treated ≥ 50 patients with chronic pancreatitis per year. Screening for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency as part of the diagnostic work-up for chronic pancreatitis is performed by 69% and repeated annually by 21%. About 74% considers nutritional assessment to be part of the standard work-up. Patients are most frequently screened for deficiencies of calcium (47%), iron (42%), vitamin D (61%) and albumin (59%). In case of clinically steatorrhea, 71% prescribes enzyme supplementation. Of all pancreatologists, 40% refers more than half of their patients to a dietician. Despite existing guidelines, 97% supports the need for more specific and tailored instructions regarding the management of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Conclusion: This survey identified a lack of consensus and substantial practice variation among international pancreatologists regarding guidelines pertaining the management of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. These results highlight the need for further adaptation of these guidelines according to current expert opinion and the level of available scientific evidence.

Background & aims Increased intrapancreatic fat is associated with pancreatic diseases; however, there are no established objective diagnostic criteria for fatty pancreas. On non-contrast computed tomography (CT), adipose tissue shows negative Hounsfield Unit (HU) attenuations (−150 to −30 HU). Using whole organ segmentation on non-contrast CT, we aimed to describe whole gland pancreatic attenuation and establish 5th and 10th percentile thresholds across a spectrum of age and sex. Subsequently, we aimed to evaluate the association between low pancreatic HU and risk of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods The whole pancreas was segmented in 19,456 images from 469 non-contrast CT scans. A convolutional neural network was trained to assist pancreas segmentation. Mean pancreatic HU, volume, and body composition metrics were calculated. The lower 5th and 10th percentile for mean pancreatic HU were identified, examining the association with age and sex. Pre-diagnostic CT scans from patients who later developed PDAC were compared to cancer-free controls. Results Less than 5th percentile mean pancreatic HU was significantly associated with increase in BMI (OR 1.07; 1.03–1.11), visceral fat (OR 1.37; 1.15–1.64), total abdominal fat (OR 1.12; 1.03–1.22), and diabetes mellitus type 1 (OR 6.76; 1.68–27.28). Compared to controls, pre-diagnostic scans in PDAC cases had lower mean whole gland pancreatic HU (−0.2 vs 7.8, p = 0.026). Conclusion In this study, we report age and sex-specific distribution of pancreatic whole-gland CT attenuation. Compared to controls, mean whole gland pancreatic HU is significantly lower in the pre-diagnostic phase of PDAC.

Background & Aims: Duodenoscope-associated transmission of infections has raised questions about efficacy of endoscope reprocessing using high-level disinfection (HLD). Although ethylene oxide (ETO) gas sterilization is effective in eradicating microbes, the impact of ETO on endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) imaging equipment remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to compare the changes in EUS image quality associated with HLD vs HLD followed by ETO sterilization. Methods: Four new EUS instruments were assigned to 2 groups: Group 1 (HLD) and Group 2 (HLD + ETO). The echoendoscopes were assessed at baseline, monthly for 6 months, and once every 3 to 4 months thereafter, for a total of 12 time points. At each time point, review of EUS video and still image quality was performed by an expert panel of reviewers along with phantom-based objective testing. Linear mixed effects models were used to assess whether the modality of reprocessing impacted image and video quality. Results: For clinical testing, mixed linear models showed minimal quantitative differences in linear analog score (P =. 04; estimated change, 3.12; scale, 0–100) and overall image quality value (P =. 007; estimated change, −0.12; scale, 1–5) favoring ETO but not for rank value (P =. 06). On phantom testing, maximum depth of penetration was lower for ETO endoscopes (P

A crucial mutational mechanism in malignancy is structural variation, in which chromosomal rearrangements alter gene functions that drive cancer progression. Herein, the presence and pattern of structural variations were investigated in twelve prospectively acquired treatment‐naïve pancreatic cancers specimens obtained via endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). In many patients, this diagnostic biopsy procedure and specimen is the only opportunity to identify somatic clinically relevant actionable alterations that may impact their care and outcome. Specialized mate pair sequencing (MPseq) provided genome‐wide structural variance analysis (SVA) with a view to identifying prognostic markers and possible therapeutic targets. MPseq was successfully performed on all specimens, identifying highly rearranged genomes with complete SVA on all specimens with > 20% tumour content. SVA identified chimeric fusion proteins and potentially immunogenic readthrough transcripts, change of function truncations, gains and losses of key genes linked to tumour progression. Complex localized rearrangements, termed chromoanagenesis, with broad pattern heterogeneity were observed in 10 (83%) specimens, impacting multiple genes with diverse cellular functions that could influence theragnostic evaluation and responsiveness to immunotherapy regimens. This study indicates that genome‐wide MPseq can be successfully performed on very limited clinically EUS obtained specimens for chromosomal rearrangement detection and potential theragnostic targets.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Presence of malignant regional lymph nodes (MRLNs) precludes curative oncological resection or liver transplantation for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Limited data support the utility of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)/fine needle aspiration (FNA) for detection of MRLNs in extrahepatic CCA, but there are no data for its role in intrahepatic CCA (iCCA). The aim of this study is to evaluate the staging impact of EUS for CCA, including analysis by subtype. APPROACH AND RESULTS We identified consecutive patients with CCA who underwent EUS staging at a single tertiary care center from October 2014 to April 2018. Among this cohort, we abstracted clinical demographic, radiographical, procedural, cytopathological, and surgical data. STATA 15 software was used for comparative analysis calculations (StataCorp LP, College Station, TX). The study cohort included 157 patients; 24 (15%), 124 (79%), and 9 (6%) with intrahepatic, perihilar, and distal CCA, respectively. EUS was able to identify regional lymph nodes (RLNs) in a higher percentage of patients compared to cross-sectional imaging (86% vs. 47%; P

Background Pre-operative staging of pancreatic adenocarcinoma guides clinical decision making. Limited data indicate that metastasis to celiac ganglia (CG) correlates with poor prognosis. We investigated feasibility and safety of endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) detection of CG metastasis and its impact upon tumor stage, resectability, and survival in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Patients We reviewed our prospectively maintained EUS and cytopathology databases to identify patients with FNA proven CG metastasis in patients with PDAC from 2004 to 2017. Clinical demographics, EUS, CT, MRI, cytopathology, cancer stage, and resectability data were analyzed. Survival of PDAC patients with CG metastasis was compared to the expected survival of PDAC patients of similar stage as reported by the United States National Cancer Database. Results Twenty-one patients with PDAC [median age 73 (IQR63-78); 14 (67%) female)], had CG metastasis confirmed by cytopathologic assessment. CG metastasis resulted in tumor upstaging relative to other EUS findings and cross sectional imaging findings in 12 (57%) and 15 (71%) patients, and converted cancers from resectable to unresectable relative to EUS and cross sectional imaging in 7 (37%) and 7 (37%) patients, respectively. In patients with PDAC, the survival of patients with CG metastasis was not significantly different from the overall survival (hazard ratio 0.71; 95% confidence interval 0.44, 1.13; p = 0.15). Conclusions EUS-FNA may safely identify CG metastases. While CG metastasis upstaged and altered the resectability status among this cohort of patients with PDAC, the survival data with regard to PDAC suggest that this may be misguided.

We read with great interest the recent article by Cheng et al that discussed the topic of gut microbiome modulation, which may promote sensitivity or resistance to chemotherapeutic agents or immune checkpoint inhibitors.1 Historically, the pancreas was considered to be a sterile organ; however, bacterial DNA has been detected in 76% of surgically resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) samples, some of which had prior biliary instrumentation, and in 15% of normal pancreas controls.2 3 It is unknown how bacteria may colonise the pancreas, but some have postulated bacterial reflux into the pancreatic duct via the major/minor papilla as a possibility and by dysbiosis due to pancreatitis, obesity, smoking and diabetes, as it alters gut permeability.4 5 Intratumoral microbiome composition may also impact therapeutic drug sensitivity and disease survival.6 The presence of PDAC intratumoral Gammaproteobacteria has the potential to inactivate gemcitabine sensitivity via the bacterial enzyme cytidine deaminase.7 Conversely, Bifidobacterium is believed to promote beneficial effects on …

We read with great interest the recent articles by Luchini et al 1 2 and Grant et al 3 highlighting the low prevalence (1%–2%) of mismatch repair deficient pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (dMMR PDAC) and offering further knowledge pertaining to the molecular spectrum of this disease subtype. A plea was raised to augment translational and clinical research efforts to improve our understanding of dMMR PDAC. However, from a practical perspective, only 20% of patients with PDAC reach surgical oncologic resection.4 These resection specimens have served as the source of prior dMMR PDAC analysis. Following the United States Food and Drug Administration approval of pembrolizumab as the first cancer therapy targeting a specific molecular signature, we identified a dMMR prevalence of 3% in a small retrospective cohort of archived pancreas endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle biopsy (EUS FNB) specimens.5 We recently completed an 18-month prospective evaluation of 218 consecutive treatment-naive PDAC patients diagnosed by EUS (fine-needle aspiration: 112 (51.4%), FNB: 91 (41.7%) or both: 15 (6.9%)) for MMR screening as a companion diagnostic test (table 1). A specimen adequate for ancillary studies was acquired in 193 (88.5%) patients …

The sentinel acute pancreatitis event (SAPE) hypothesis for pathogenesis of chronic pancreatitis (CP) postulates that acute pancreatitis (AP), especially recurrent AP (RAP), precedes development of CP. However, in a recent population-based study, 52/89 (58.4%) of CP had no prior episodes of AP. In a large clinic-based CP cohort, we aimed to determine the incidence and timing of prior AP in patients diagnosed with CP.We retrospectively identified 499 consecutive patients with classic CP diagnosed at our institution from January 2013 through December 2015. We abstracted their demographic and clinical data, especially regarding prior AP.We identified 3 cohorts: 1) CP with no AP (n = 231 [46.3%]), 2) AP before CP (n = 250 [50.1%]), and 3) AP after CP (n = 18 [3.6%]). At CP diagnosis, 249 patients (49.9%) had no prior AP. Compared with the "CP preceded by AP" cohort, the "CP without AP"' cohort was older (59.2 ± 13.9 vs 48.6 ± 15.7 years; P .001), had a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (30.3% vs 12.4%; P .001), reported less pain (52.8% vs 87.6%; P .001), and had a lower rate of endoscopic interventions (16.0% vs 39.2%; P .001). In the "CP preceded by AP" cohort, 117 (46.8%) had a single episode of AP and 133 (53.2%) had RAP.Nearly half the patients with classic CP did not have prior AP. Only a quarter of patients had CP that could potentially have evolved from prior RAP. Development of CP may be attributable to an altogether different pathogenesis (a non-SAPE pathway) for a considerable proportion of patients.

Pancreatic cystic lesions (PCL) are composed of a heterogeneous group of entities that are increasingly diagnosed, generally as incidental findings in asymptomatic patients. In conjunction with this growing incidence, the potential for malignant transformation of mucin-producing cysts makes PCL a challenging clinical conundrum for the clinician, patient, and healthcare system. Cyst characterization based on morphology is often difficult and inaccurate, therefore several intracystic fluid biomarkers have been evaluated as ancillary testing to enhance the difficult balance between sparing a patient from an unnecessary high-risk pancreatic surgery and missing the opportunity to prevent or diagnose pancreatic adenocarcinoma at an early disease stage. There are two questions that are key to guide the care of patients with PCL: 1) is it a non-mucinous cyst that does not require any follow-up? and 2) if mucinous, does the cyst harbor advanced neoplasia (high-grade dysplasia or invasive carcinoma) that requires surgical resection, or is it a low-risk lesion that will benefit from a surveillance program? The purpose of this review is to give a general and practical overview of the different cyst fluid biomarkers that have been studied to address these specific questions, from classic biochemical markers to include carcinoembryonic antigen to novel genetic and epigenetic markers, such as microRNA or intracystic bacterial DNA.

ObjectiveThe diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is challenging. Sonographic and cross-sectional imaging findings of AIP closely mimic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and techniques for tissue sampling of AIP are suboptimal. These limitations often result in delayed or failed diagnosis, which negatively impact patient management and outcomes. This study aimed to create an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-based convolutional neural network (CNN) model trained to differentiate AIP from PDAC, chronic pancreatitis (CP) and normal pancreas (NP), with sufficient performance to analyse EUS video in real time.DesignA database of still image and video data obtained from EUS examinations of cases of AIP, PDAC, CP and NP was used to develop a CNN. Occlusion heatmap analysis was used to identify sonographic features the CNN valued when differentiating AIP from PDAC.ResultsFrom 583 patients (146 AIP, 292 PDAC, 72 CP and 73 NP), a total of 1 174 461 unique EUS images were extracted. For video data, the CNN processed 955 EUS frames per second and was: 99% sensitive, 98% specific for distinguishing AIP from NP; 94% sensitive, 71% specific for distinguishing AIP from CP; 90% sensitive, 93% specific for distinguishing AIP from PDAC; and 90% sensitive, 85% specific for distinguishing AIP from all studied conditions (ie, PDAC, CP and NP).ConclusionThe developed EUS-CNN model accurately differentiated AIP from PDAC and benign pancreatic conditions, thereby offering the capability of earlier and more accurate diagnosis. Use of this model offers the potential for more timely and appropriate patient care and improved outcome.

Background & Aims IgG4–related disease (IgG4-RD), a multi-organ fibroinflammatory syndrome, typically responds to steroids. However, some cases are steroid resistant, and pancreaticobiliary IgG4-RD commonly relapses after steroid withdrawal. Rituximab induces remission of IgG4-RD, but the need for and safety of maintenance rituximab treatment are unknown. We compared outcomes of patients with pancreaticobiliary IgG4-RD treated with or without maintenance rituximab therapy. Methods We performed a retrospective study of patients with pancreaticobiliary IgG4-RD treated with rituximab at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, from January 2005 through December 2015. The cohort was divided into patients who received only rituximab induction therapy (group 1, n = 14) and patients who received rituximab induction followed by maintenance therapy (group 2, n = 29). We collected data on recurrence of IgG4-RD symptoms and findings, as well as information on evaluations, treatment, and adverse events. Results Median follow-up times were similar between group 1 (34 mo) and group 2 (27 mo) (P = .99). Thirty-seven patients (86%) were in steroid-free remission 6 months after rituximab initiation. A higher proportion of patients in group 1 had disease relapse (3-year event rate, 45%) than in group 2 (3-year event rate, 11%) (P = .034). Younger age, higher IgG4 responder index score after induction therapy, and increased serum levels of alkaline phosphatase at baseline or after rituximab induction were associated with relapse. Infections developed in 6 of 43 patients, all in group 2 (P = .067 vs group 1); all but 1 occurred during maintenance therapy. Conclusions In a retrospective study of patients with pancreaticobiliary IgG4-RD, we found rituximab maintenance therapy prolongs remission. Relapses are uncommon among patients receiving maintenance therapy, but maintenance therapy may increase risk of infection. Patients with factors that predict relapse could be candidates for rituximab maintenance therapy.

There is lack of consensus on post-operative surveillance for resected non-invasive intraductal papillary neoplasms (IPMNs). In this study we explored risk factors for subsequent PC in patients with MD-IPMN undergoing partial pancreatectomy. We searched the Mayo Clinic surgical pathology database for all cases of resected MD-IPMN between 1997 and 2014. Cases with histologically confirmed main pancreatic duct involvement either isolated or in a mixed pattern with branch-duct involvement were included. Outcomes of PC in the remnant pancreas, and death related to MD-IPMN were assessed with survival analyses (Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression). Among the 179 patients with resected MD-IPMN the incidence of concomitant PC and high-grade dysplasia (HGD) in the resected specimen was 23 and 14%, respectively. The mean duration of follow-up was 4.31 years (range 0.12–13.5 years). Excluding 28 subjects who either underwent initial total pancreatectomy or partial pancreatectomy with surgical margins positive for PC/HGD, the 5-year incidence of subsequent PC was 12%, including 60.6% and15.6% in those with initial PC and HGD, respectively. The 10-year incidence of PC was 21.2% overall, 60.6% for PC, 38.3% for HGD, and 3.0% for LGD. Risk of subsequent PC was significantly higher for those with initial PC compared with HGD (HR = 4.95, 95% CI: 1.63–15.03, p = 0.005 and for HGD compared with LGD (HR = 11.30, 95% CI: 1.55–82.26, p = 0.017). Patients with MD-IPMN with PC or HGD undergoing segmental pancreatectomy are at higher risk of subsequent PC and may benefit from post-operative surveillance. The post-operative surveillance intervals in resected MD- IPMNs need to be tailored based on dysplasia grade.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer-associated mortality with continued poor outcome and a short-lived treatment response to conventional therapy. However, with the rapidly evolving field of precision oncology, new and novel genomic information is emerging, identifying tumor subtypes by revealing somatic and germline mutations. There is growing interest in determining the tumor BRCA status to guide potential PARP inhibitor targeted therapy and for evaluating tumor microsatellite instability status for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy which has been reported in up to 3% of PDAC patients. Precision immuno-oncology and therapies targeting the stroma are a developing oncologic field but to date the impact upon patients with PDAC has not been established. The ability to complete tumor genotyping and gene expression assessments and to determine immunotherapy eligibility have renewed optimism that patients with PDAC may soon have access to effective treatment strategies.

Background and Aims Malignant vascular invasion usually results from gross direct infiltration from a primary tumor and impacts cancer staging, prognosis, and therapy. However, patients may also develop a remote malignant thrombi (RMT), defined as a malignant intravascular thrombus located remote and noncontiguous to the primary tumor. Our aim was to compare EUS, CT, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of RMT and to explore the potential impact on cancer staging. Methods Patients with RMT were identified from a prospectively maintained EUS database. Retrospective chart review was performed to obtain EUS, CT/MRI, clinical, and outcome data. Results A median of 3 FNAs (range, 1-8) was obtained from RMT in 17 patients (60 ± 14.1 years, 56% men) between April 2003 and August 2016, with the finding of malignant cytology in 12 patients (70.6%; 10 positive, 2 suspicious). CT/MRI detected the RMT in 5 patients (29.4%), 4 of whom had positive or suspicious EUS-FNA cytology. Among the 8 newly diagnosed pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PaC) patients, CT did not detect the RMT in 5 (63%), of whom 3 patients had positive or suspicious intravascular EUS-FNA cytology. For newly diagnosed PaC patients (n = 8), the EUS-FNA diagnosis of a biopsy specimen–proven RMT upstaged 3 patients (37.5%) and converted 2 patients (25%) from CT resectable to unresectable disease. No adverse events were reported. The mean follow-up was 18.9 ± 27.7 months. Conclusions Our study demonstrates the ability and potential safety of intravascular FNA to detect radiographically occult RMT, which substantially impacts cancer staging and resectability.

// Ferga C. Gleeson 1 , Jesse S. Voss 2 , Benjamin R. Kipp 2 , Sarah E. Kerr 2 , John S. Van Arnam 2 , John R. Mills 2 , Cherisse A. Marcou 2 , Amber R. Schneider 2 , Zheng Jin Tu 3 , Michael R. Henry 2 and Michael J. Levy 1 1 Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN, USA 2 Department of Laboratory Medicine-Pathology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN, USA 3 Divisions of Biomedical Statics & Informatics, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN, USA Correspondence to: Ferga C. Gleeson, email: gleeson.ferga@mayo.edu Keywords: pancreas neuroendocrine tumor, endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration, targeted next-generation sequencing, prognostic biomarker, predictive biomarker Received: April 14, 2017 Accepted: May 23, 2017 Published: June 28, 2017 ABSTRACT Background: Recent genetic studies have highlighted that alterations in MEN1, chromatin remodeling genes, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway genes are the most frequent molecular events identified in pancreas neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs). The prognostic or predictive impact of these biomarkers and other less frequently observed aberrations, i.e. PTEN, TSC2 and PIK3CA are relatively unknown. The aims of this targeted next generation sequencing (NGS) study were to assess tumor cytology genotype diversity, to survey for potential adverse prognostic biomarkers and the prevalence of mTOR pathway variants. Methods: Using a custom 15 gene gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor panel, targeted NGS of archived (2002-2013) primary pNETs (n=90) and pNET liver metastasis (n=32) cytology smears was performed. Results: The genetic variant landscape revealed that 21% and 28% of primary and metastatic liver pNETs harbored ≥ 2 variants per tumor, respectively. The most prevalent primary tumor variants were in the MEN1 (42%), DAXX (11%), ATRX (10%), and TSC2 (8%) genes. Patients harboring aberrations in TSC2, KRAS or TP53 were more likely to experience disease progression and reduced overall survival, when compared to individuals who were wild-type. The prevalence of these potential prognostic biomarkers in early disease was observed in 3.3% of the primary tumor cohort. mTOR pathway variants including alterations in PTEN, TSC2 and PIK3CA were identified in 10% and 12.5% of primary tumors and pNET liver metastasis, respectively. Conclusion: Cytology based tumor genotyping revealed a broad spectrum of genetic variants including possible adverse prognostic biomarkers, reflective of an aggressive phenotype. It also demonstrated the prevalence of potential predictive biomarkers for mTOR pathway inhibitor sensitivity.

Background and study aims Little consideration has been given to selection of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fiducials for proton radiotherapy and the resulting perturbations in the therapy dose and pattern. Our aim was to assess the impact of perturbations caused by six fiducials of different composition and dimensions in a phantom gel model. Materials and methods The phantom was submerged in a water bath and irradiated with a uniform 10 cm × 10 cm field of 119.7 MeV monoenergetic spot scanning protons delivered through a 45 mm range shifter. The proton “Bragg Peak” was evaluated. Results Dose perturbations manifesting as dose reductions up to 30 % were observed. A carbon composite (1 × 5 mm) and gold (0.4 × 10 mm) fiducial with backload potential rather than dedicated EUS pre-loaded gold fiducial needles had the best performance in terms of minimizing the dose perturbation. Conclusions Our data demonstrate that a carbon composite fiducial has a less untoward effect on proton therapy dose distribution than dedicated EUS pre-loaded gold fiducial needles. Such information is important to consider when selecting fiducials specifically for proton therapy.

Background and Aims Pancreatic necrosis may be categorized as an acute necrotic collection (ANC) or walled-off necrosis (WON) based on complete encapsulation by a wall and collection age (≤4 weeks or >4 weeks). Endoscopic intervention of WON has become the standard of care, but little is known regarding the safety and efficacy of endoscopic intervention of pancreatic necrosis ≤4 weeks from disease onset. Methods Retrospective review of medical records and imaging studies of all patients undergoing early endoscopic intervention of pancreatic necrosis between 2008 and 2018 was carried out at 1 referral center. Patients who underwent previous interventional treatment were excluded. Control WON patients were matched to early intervention cases. The primary outcome was defined as resolution of the collection after endoscopic treatment, without surgery. Results Nineteen patients with early intervention were identified. The most common indication for intervention was infection. Median age of these collections at the time of initial endoscopic intervention was 23 days (range, 15-27 days), and all collections had a partial or complete wall discernable on contrast-enhanced CT. Eleven patients underwent concurrent endoscopic necrosectomy. The primary outcome was achieved in all patients in the early intervention group. Total duration of therapy was longer for early intervention compared with controls (103 vs 69 days, P = .042), with no mortality and similar adverse event rates compared with controls. Conclusions Endoscopic intervention of pancreatic necrosis in the third and fourth weeks of illness appears effective and safe when a partial collection wall is present on cross-sectional imaging studies, with outcomes paralleling those reported for intervention of WON.

Background & objectives Biomarkers are increasingly required to molecularly characterize pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) subgroup populations, to determine who may benefit from immune based targeted therapy. We evaluated the feasibility of gene expression signature detection and the respective landscape of specific tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), cancer/testis (CT) antigens, and immune checkpoints for possible future personalized immunotherapy eligibility. Methods Dedicated digital mRNA oncologic immune profiling of 770 genes using a Nanostring nCounter® PanCancer Immune Profiling Panel was performed using archived endoscopic ultrasound fine needle biopsy (EUS FNB) PDAC specimens as a case series in a tertiary care setting. Results The spectrum of mRNA gene expression within the tumor specimens revealed that 44.8%, 10.0% and 50.7% of evaluated genes had a ≥ 2-fold increase, a ≤ 2-fold reduction or between 2 change of mRNA expression, when compared to normal controls. The corresponding landscape of TILs, CT antigens, and immune checkpoints highlighted several possibilities that could potentially be amenable to targeted personalized immunotherapy. This includes members of the Tumor Associated Macrophage family (CD68, CXCL5, and MARCO), members of the CT antigen family (PRAME, TTK and PBK) and the “second generation” checkpoints TIM3 and BTLA. Conclusions Our study represents the ability to successfully perform digital mRNA expression profile analyses to immunophenotype PDAC EUS FNB specimens by evaluating the expression of >730 genes within the tumor immune microenvironment. This may facilitate the search for novel therapeutic targets, offering the opportunity to go beyond immune monotherapy, but perhaps to use combined immunomodulatory agents.

OBJECTIVES: Expression of prostaglandin biosynthetic pathway enzymes in mucinous pancreatic cysts is unknown. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition is a potential cancer chemoprevention strategy for these lesions. We evaluated the expression of COX-2, cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), and protein kinase B (AKT) in the epithelium of pancreatic cysts and correlated enzyme expression with aspirin (ASA) use and cyst fluid prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) concentration. METHODS: Pathology of 80 resected pancreatic cysts was reviewed. Expression of COX-2, cPLA2, and AKT was quantified by tissue immunohistochemistry immunoreactivity scores (IRSs). IRS values were compared between cyst types and (in 30 cases) with matched cyst fluid PGE2 concentrations. RESULTS: The mean IRS was higher in the epithelium of mucinous vs nonmucinous cysts for COX-2 (6.1 ± 4.7 vs 3.2 ± 2.8, P = 0.01) and cPLA2 (6.9 ± 3.0 vs 2.9 ± 2.9, P < 0.001). Cyst epithelial COX-2 expression was higher in mucinous cysts with low-grade dysplasia vs those with high-grade dysplasia or invasive carcinoma (IRS 8.0 ± 3.9 vs 1.5 ± 2.9, P < 0.001), whereas the opposite was found for cPLA2 (6.2 ± 3.0 vs 8.6 ± 2.3, P = 0.005). Cyst fluid PGE2 concentrations did not correlate with either the IRS or a history of low- to moderate-dose ASA use. CONCLUSIONS: COX-2 and cPLA2 are overexpressed in the epithelium of mucinous pancreatic cysts. COX-2 and/or cPLA2 inhibition might prevent the emergence or progression of mucinous pancreatic cysts, but higher doses of ASA or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be necessary to substantially inhibit cyst epithelial COX-2 activity.

Endoscopic biopsy is the most important procedure to obtain gastrointestinal (GI) tissue for histological assessment. The advance of endoscopic technology has enabled us to better visualize and evaluate GI disorders. Carefully and properly handling the biopsy tissue to prepare the slides for staining is crucial for the subsequent histological examination. Besides routine hematoxylin and eosin staining, other special histochemical and immunohistochemical stains can provide valuable information to help the diagnosis.

Background and Aims Detection and characterization of focal liver lesions (FLLs) is key for optimizing treatment for patients who may have a primary hepatic cancer or metastatic disease to the liver. This is the first study to develop an EUS-based convolutional neural network (CNN) model for the purpose of identifying and classifying FLLs. Methods A prospective EUS database comprising cases of FLLs visualized and sampled via EUS was reviewed. Relevant still images and videos of liver parenchyma and FLLs were extracted. Patient data were then randomly distributed for the purpose of CNN model training and testing. Once a final model was created, occlusion heatmap analysis was performed to assess the ability of the EUS-CNN model to autonomously identify FLLs. The performance of the EUS-CNN for differentiating benign and malignant FLLs was also analyzed. Results A total of 210,685 unique EUS images from 256 patients were used to train, validate, and test the CNN model. Occlusion heatmap analyses demonstrated that the EUS-CNN model was successful in autonomously locating FLLs in 92.0% of EUS video assets. When evaluating any random still image extracted from videos or physician-captured images, the CNN model was 90% sensitive and 71% specific (area under the receiver operating characteristic [AUROC], 0.861) for classifying malignant FLLs. When evaluating full-length video assets, the EUS-CNN model was 100% sensitive and 80% specific (AUROC, 0.904) for classifying malignant FLLs. Conclusions This study demonstrated the capability of an EUS-CNN model to autonomously identify FLLs and to accurately classify them as either malignant or benign lesions.

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) responds dramatically to corticosteroids treatment. We reviewed our experience to determine the safety and effectiveness of treating obstructive jaundice in definitive AIP with corticosteroids alone without biliary stenting.From our AIP database, we retrospectively identified type 1 AIP subjects whose jaundice was treated with corticosteroids alone without biliary stenting. Their medical records were reviewed and clinical data were evaluated to determine the outcomes.Fifteen AIP subjects (87% male, mean age 68.4 years) were treated with corticosteroids at initial presentation (n = 8), first (n = 5) or subsequent (n = 2) relapse. Mean values (upper limit of normal, ULN) of liver tests prior to corticosteroids were aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 203.5u/l (4 × ULN), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 325.8u/l (6 × ULN), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) 567.4u/l (5 × ULN), and total bilirubin (TB) 5.9 mg/dl (5.9 × ULN). At first follow-up (mean 4 days) the decrease was 54.9% for AST, 51.6% for ALT, 33% for ALP and 47.2% for TB (all p 0.05). After 15-45 days, all patients had normal AST, 3/15 had ALT 1.5 × ULN, 1/15 had ALP 1.5 × ULN, 1/15 had TB 1.5 × ULN. No patient required biliary stent placement, or developed cholangitis or other infectious complications during steroid treatment.Under the supervision of an experienced pancreatologist and with close monitoring of patients, obstructive jaundice secondary to definitive AIP can be safely and effectively managed with corticosteroids alone, without the need for biliary stenting.