Chronic Pancreatitis-Like Change in BRCA2 Mutation Carriers.

OBJECTIVES: Pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions can appear as chronic pancreatitis-like changes on endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). The aim of our study was to determine if BRCA2 mutation carriers were more likely than noncarriers to demonstrate chronic pancreatitis-like changes on EUS.

METHODS: Patients with BRCA2 mutations referred for EUS were identified (cases) from an endoscopy database. Controls were matched with cases in a 2:1 ratio for sex, date EUS was performed, endoscopist, and echoendoscope. Data were extracted from medical records, EUS reports, and EUS images. Rosemont classification was used to categorize chronic pancreatitis-like changes.

RESULTS: During the study period, 37 BRCA2 mutation carriers and 92 controls underwent EUS. Compared with controls, BRCA2 mutation carriers had a higher prevalence of solid pancreas lesions (16.2% vs 1.08%; P = 0.005), pancreatic cysts (21.6% vs 6.1%; P = 0.01), Rosemont "consistent with chronic pancreatitis" definition changes (13.5% vs 1%; P = 0.002), and Rosemont "suggestive of chronic pancreatitis" definition changes (16.2% vs 2.1%; P = 0.003). After adjusting for age, alcohol use, and smoking, BRCA2 mutation carriers were almost 25 times more likely to demonstrate chronic pancreatitis-like changes.

CONCLUSIONS: Chronic pancreatitis-like changes, along with solid and cystic pancreatic lesions, were significantly more common in BRCA2 mutation carriers than in noncarriers.