Introduction: Pancreatic malignancies represent highly fatal diseases with poor prognosis and constantly increasing incidence despite modern diagnostic and therapeutic options. Both endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) are regarded as mainstays in pancreatic cancer management. The present study aims to evaluate whether accuracy EUS with fine-needle aspiration or biopsy (FNA or FNB) in pancreatic cancer diagnosis is influenced by prior biliary stenting or by technical or anatomical features (stent type, number of needle passes, common bile duct or Wirsung's diameter, topographical characteristics and diameter of the pancreatic tumor).
Materials and methods: This retrospective study includes 243 patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent ERCP and EUS with fine-needle aspiration or biopsy (FNA or FNB).
Results and discussion: Out of the total number of patients, 68 were stented prior to EUS. We found that the EUS-FNA diagnostic yield is not influenced either by the presence of biliary stent, nor by the type of stent (plastic or metallic). Moreover, the mean needle passes required were similar for both stented patients and not stented ones.
Conclusions: Ultimately, given our results, we can state that EUS-FNA/FNB can be safely and accurately performed in the presence of biliary stents.
Keywords: biliary stenting; endoscopic ultrasound; pancreatic cancer; tissue acquisition.
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