Autoimmune Pancreatitis

Overview

Autoimmune pancreatitis is a chronic inflammation thought to be caused by the body's immune system attacking the pancreas. The disease affects not only the pancreas, but also the bile ducts in the liver, as well as the salivary glands, kidneys and lymph nodes. One type of the disease mainly affects men in their 50s and 60s; a second type can occur in children as young as 12.

Autoimmune pancreatitis is a rare disease and can be mistakenly diagnosed as pancreatic cancer. Both conditions have similar signs and symptoms, but very different treatments, so it is crucial to distinguish one from another. Autoimmune pancreatitis is treated with steroids, which improve the condition in many people, often dramatically.

Why choose Mayo Clinic for autoimmune pancreatitis

• Experience. Mayo Clinic treats close to 2,000 people each year for pancreatitis, including autoimmune pancreatitis.
• Diagnosis leader. Mayo Clinic doctors have led efforts to establish diagnostic guidelines for autoimmune pancreatitis, to help distinguish the disease from pancreatic cancer and prevent people from undergoing unnecessary surgery. Mayo specialists are experts at endoscopic core needle biopsy, a procedure that allows them to obtain samples of pancreatic tissue for analysis without surgery.
• Teamwork. An experienced team of specialists in pancreatic disease, including a gastroenterologist, endoscopist, pathologist and radiologist, works together with other specialists to provide accurate diagnosis and comprehensive treatment.
• Active research. Mayo Clinic has played a major role in identifying and describing this newly recognized disorder and in evaluating treatments. Mayo researchers also identified a type of autoimmune pancreatitis that can develop in children as young as 12 years of age. You can benefit from new advances that Mayo is helping to discover.