Q) All are true about tropical pancreatitis except?
a. Associated with Tapioca.
b. Patients have large stones with fibrosis.
c. It is Pre Cancerous
d. Onset of disease at 50 years
Answer Free
Ans: d) Onset of disease is at young age
Tropical pancreatitis is an idiopathic disease that typically begins in teenage years. It is highly associated with diabetes and pancreatic duct calculi, and is prevalent in South India, Asia, Africa, and Central America.
Etiological factors:
Malnutrition
Cassava (Tapioca)
Hydrocarbon exposure
SPINK1 mutation
It is considered a precancerous condition. The IPSG data reports a 1.8% and 4% cumulative risk of pancreatic cancer at 10 and 20 years respectively in patients with chronic pancreatitis.
Augustine et al. reported an 8.3% incidence of pancreatic cancer in tropical pancreatitis — much higher than Western data.
Typical clinical picture:
A child, adolescent, or young adult with recurrent upper abdominal pain, diabetes mellitus, malnutrition, nutrient deficiencies, parotid enlargement, and pancreatic calculi visible on plain X-ray.