Pancreatitis, chronic

Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. The main symptom of pancreatitis is abdominal pain, which can often be severe.

The pancreas

The pancreas is a small, leaf-shaped organ that is located behind the stomach and below the ribcage.

The pancreas has two important functions:

• it produces digestive juices that are used by the intestines to help digest food, and
• it produces powerful ‘messenger chemicals’, called hormones, that can have an important effect on all the cells in the body.

Insulin is the most important hormone produced by the pancreas, because it regulates the levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood.

Types of pancreatitis

There are two types of pancreatitis:

• Acute pancreatitis, in which the pancreas becomes inflamed over a short period of time. The inflammation passes after a few days.
• Chronic pancreatitis, in which the inflammation of the pancreas persists for many years causing it to become more and more damaged. Chronic pancreatitis can often develop after repeated previous episodes of acute pancreatitis.

The rest of this section will focus on chronic pancreatitis. See Useful links, right, for more information about acute pancreatitis.

How common is chronic pancreatitis?

Chronic pancreatitis is uncommon. It is estimated that 45 out of every 100,000 men and 12 out of every 100,000 women have chronic pancreatitis.

Chronic pancreatitis mainly affects men. It usually occurs people aged 40 to 50.

Prolonged alcohol misuse is the biggest risk factor for developing chronic pancreatitis. Long-term alcohol misuse (a period going across many years) is thought to account for 70% of all cases of chronic pancreatitis.

Outlook

The outlook for chronic pancreatitis depends on a number of factors. The three most important factors are:

• the person’s age when they're diagnosed,
• the person’s history of alcohol use, and
• whether the pancreas is damaged enough to have stopped producing insulin (resulting in associated symptoms of diabetes).

For example, a 20-year-old man who is diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis and has no history of alcohol use should have a good outlook. His natural lifespan should not be adversely affected.

The lifespan of a 50-year-old man with chronic pancreatitis and a long history of alcohol misuse may be shortened by 10 to 20 years. This is because a pancreas that does not function properly can place additional strain on the body.

About 70% of people with chronic pancreatitis will survive for at least 10 years after receiving their diagnosis. About 45% of people with chronic pancreatitis will survive for at least 20 years after receiving their diagnosis. 

Although there is no cure for chronic pancreatitis, medication can control the symptoms of pain. In very severe cases, surgery may be required.

The most effective way of preventing chronic pancreatitis is to avoid drinking alcohol or to at least drink it in moderation. See Prevention, above, for more information.