| Serous cystic tumor | Mucinous neoplasm | Main-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm | Branch-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm | Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm | |
| Age of presentation | Variable, usually 5th to 7th decade | Variable, usually 5th to 7th decade | Variable, usually 5th to 7th decade | Variable, usually 5th to 7th decade | Usually 2nd to 3rd decade |
| Gender distribution | Females >males | Almost exclusively females | Females = males | Females = males | Females >males |
| Typical clinical presentation | Incidental or abdominal pain or mass effect | Incidental or abdominal pain or malignancy related | Incidental or pancreatitis or pancreatic insufficiency or malignancy related | Incidental or pancreatitis or malignancy related | Incidental or abdominal pain or mass effect |
| Typical imaging characteristics | Microcystic/honeycomb appearance Oligocystic appearance less common | Unilocular or septated cyst ± wall calcifications Solid component, if present, may suggest malignancy | Dilated main pancreatic duct ± parenchymal atrophy Solid component, if present, may suggest malignancy | Dilated pancreatic duct branch or branches Solid component, if present, may suggest malignancy | Solid and cystic mass ± calcifications |
| Typical aspirate characteristic | Thin, often bloody | Viscous | Viscous | Viscous or thin | Bloody |
| Typical cytology findings | Cuboidal cells that stain positive for glycogen; yield <50% | Columnar cells with variable atypia Stains positive for mucin; yield <50% High yield from solid component for malignancy | Columnar cells with variable atypia Stains positive for mucin; yield <50% High yield from solid component for malignancy | Columnar cells with variable atypia Stains positive for mucin; yield <50% High yield from solid component for malignancy | Characteristic branching papillae with myxoid stroma High yield from solid component |
| Typical carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level | <5 to 20 ng/mL in majority of lesions | >200 ng/mL in approximately 75% of lesions | >200 ng/mL in approximately 75% of lesions | >200 ng/mL in approximately 75% of lesions | Insufficient data |
| Typical glucose level | >50 mg/dL in majority | <50 mg/dL in majority | <50 mg/dL (limited data) | <50 mg/dL in majority | Insufficient data |
| Typical DNA analysis | Allelic loss affecting chromosome 3p and VHL mutation specific | K-ras mutation specific (>90%), not sensitive (<50%) TP53, PTEN, PIK3CA, high DNA amount or high-amplitude allelic loss seen in malignancy | K-ras and GNAS mutation specific (>90%), not sensitive (<50%) TP53, PTEN, PIK3CA, high DNA amount or high-amplitude allelic loss seen in malignancy | K-ras and GNAS mutation specific (>90%), not sensitive (<50%) TP53, PTEN, PIK3CA, high DNA amount or high-amplitude allelic loss seen in malignancy | CTNNB1 mutation specific |
| Relative malignant potential | Negligible | Moderate | High | Low to moderate | Moderate to high |
| Treatment | Resect if symptomatic | Resection | Resection and post-resection surveillance | Closely monitor or resect Post-resection surveillance required | Resection |
