Chronic pancreatitis; Pancreatic carcinoma

Background/Aims: Pancreatic carcinoma belongs to the area of conditions with late diagnosis and there is no effective screening method. One possible approach to diagnosing socalled early adenocarcinoma, therefore, lies in the identification and systematic examination of individuals in risk for this condition. Methodology: Between 1992 and 2005 we systematically observed 223 individuals diagnozed with chronic pancreatitis. In this 14-year period we performed classical biochemical tests, endoscopic ultrasound, CT scans and ERCP, we asked about the number of cigarettes smoked per year and classified individuals consuming regularly more than 80 g of alcohol per day for 5 years for men and 50 g of alcohol per day for 5 years for women as having the alcoholic form of chronic pancreatitis. The remaining patients were classified according to TIGARO classification. Results: Alcohol-related etiology ... etc.