Hereditary Pancreatitis

The pancreas is a digestive organ high in the abdomen, between the stomach and the spine. It produces enzymes to digest food as well as insulin and glucagon to regulate blood sugar. Chronic pancreatitis is prolonged inflammation of the pancreas that causes abdominal pain and digestive difficulties, and can create permanent damage to the gland. Hereditary pancreatitis is a rare genetic condition that seems to carry a 40% lifetime risk of pancreatic cancer. There is no cure.

Type 1 Diabetes

In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin, and so food causes hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Insulin injections help to regulate blood sugar, but can sometimes cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). LADA, or latent autoimmune diabetes in adults, acts like type 1 but develops more slowly, and is usually diagnosed in early adulthood. Diabetes, along with hereditary or chronic pancreatitis, may play a role in the development of pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic Cancer

Cancer is the abnormal growth of cells that may spread throughout the body. Pancreatic cancer is usually exocrine and adenocarcinoma. There are no early detection methods for pancreatic cancer and it is often difficult to diagnose in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Any pancreatic cancer that has metastasized is considered stage IV. Pancreatic cancer is now the 4th leading cause of cancer deaths in the US. The 5-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 8%; for stage IV, 1%.