Pancreatic Diseases

The Pancreas
Pancreatic Diseases

Common Diseases of the Pancreas

Acute Pancreatitis: The most common cause of acute pancreatitis is blockage of the pancreatic duct by a gallstone. Secretions can back up in the pancreas and cause permanent damage in just a few hours. They also can circulate to other body organs, causing shock and organ failure. Acute pancreatitis can be life-threatening
Chronic Pancreatitis: Chronic pancreatitis, associated most often with gall bladder disease and alcoholism, can cause painful attacks over a number of years and lead to other problems, such as pancreatic insufficiency (see below), bacterial infections, and type 2 diabetes
Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes involves destruction of pancreatic beta cells (which produce insulin) and a dependence on insulin; type 2 involves loss of some beta cell function and insulin resistance. Diabetes affects many other body organs, especially the kidneys
Cystic Fibrosis: CF is an inherited genetic disorder that disrupts chloride transport at the cellular level. This causes mucous plugs that block pancreatic enzymes from reaching the intestines and leads to digestive problems
Pancreatic Cancer: Cancer of the pancreas is the tenth most common cause of cancer death in the UK, being diagnosed in about 7,000 people a year. Risks include smoking, age, gender (more common in men), chronic pancreatitis, and exposure to some industrial chemicals. Most (95%) pancreatic cancers are adenocarcinomas, developing in the exocrine tissues. Pancreatic cancer is very difficult to detect in the early stages because symptoms are either absent or non-specific: abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, and sometimes jaundice. Only about 10% of the cancers are still contained within the pancreas at the time of diagnosis