This letter describes the study procedures and what you may expect as a participant.

If you decide to join our study (please read the consent form you will need to sign) all of these consultations and procedures will be done on two separate days.  The screening visit includes a half hour consultation and genetic counseling session, a 45-minute magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test, a 30-minute CT scan, a 30 minute pre-procedure preparation, a 1 hour endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), and an approximately 30-60 minute recovery. You will need to have someone with you to accompany you home or to your hotel.

If you agree to participate in this study, the genetic counseling, blood tests, MRI test, CT scan, the sedated EUS procedure will be performed free of charge.

Any further testing or consultations (such as surgery) that may be medically indicated will be billed to your insurance.

If your insurance requires you to obtain pre-authorization or pre-certification, we ask that you do so prior to your scheduled appointment(s).  This may help prevent any future problems related to billing.  If your insurance is an HMO or PPO, we ask that you find out whether Johns Hopkins and I are within the approved network of providers.  If we are not part of the approved network or providers, it would be advisable for you to determine if you are entitled to out-of-network coverage and what your out-of-pocket expenses may be.  This pertains only to additional diagnostic tests such as EUS-guided fine needle aspiration that may be clinically indicated as a result of an abnormal screening test, or professional fees for general anesthesia and radiology during an ERCP. We will be happy to provide any necessary information, such as CPT codes.

If you would like to join this study or if you have any further questions, please contact Hilary Cosby at (410) 502-2893 or Dr. Marcia Canto at (410) 614-5388.  Hilary can also be reached by email at caps3@jhmi.edu.  Please indicate in your email or phone message best times during regular office hours for Hilary to call you for scheduling your visit. More information about directions, hotel arrangements, pancreatic cancer and the procedures can be obtained from the websites www.hopkins-gi.org and www.path.jhu.edu/pancreas. We look forward to hearing from you again in the near future.

Sincerely,

Marcia Irene F. Canto, M.D., M.H.S.