The pancreas is a gland that sits behind the stomach. Larger than your gallbladder, but smaller than the liver, the pancreas plays a key role in the digestive system. Its juices join bile from the liver and gallbladder to drain into the small intestine. Specifically, the pancreas:
- Secretes digestive juices (enzymes and a substance called sodium bicarbonate) into the small intestine
- Produces the hormones, including insulin and glucagon, that control your body’s ability to use sugar
The digestive substances split the fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into digestible molecules.
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. This condition usually begins at an acute stage, and in some cases, may become chronic after a severe and/or recurrent attack. When the pancreas becomes inflamed, the digestive enzymes attack the tissue that produces them. One of these enzymes, called trypsin, can cause tissue damage and bleeding, and can cause the pancreas blood cells and blood vessels to swell. With chronic pancreatitis, the pancreas may eventually stop producing the enzymes that are necessary for your body to digest and absorb nutrients. This is called exocrine failure and fat and protein are not digested or absorbed. When chronic pancreatitis is advanced, the pancreas can also lose its ability to make insulin; this is called endocrine.
Most chronic pancreatitis is due to alcohol abuse and is already chronic at its first presentation. In rare cases this condition leads to cancer of the pancreas, an unchecked growth of abnormal cells in the pancreas.