Pancreatic Disorders Dictionary

abdomen: The middle section of the body, between the chest and the thighs, including the stomach, intestines, spleen, pancreas and liver.

adenocarcinoma: A type of cancer that involves the lining of glands, often the lungs, breasts, colon, prostate, stomach, pancreas, uterus and cervix.

amylase: An enzyme produced by the pancreas. High blood levels of this enzyme indicate an inflammation of the pancreas.

biopsy: A sample piece of tissue taken from an afflicted area of the body in order to help diagnose disease.

calcification: The building up of calcium in a tissue, resulting in a hardening of the tissue. Often seen in pancreatic tissue in cases of chronic inflammation.

chemotherapy: A cancer treatment technique that uses drugs designed to prevent tumor cells from growing or dividing.

cyst: A sac that can be filled either by fluids or air. Fluid-filled cysts can result in pancreatitis, and surgery may be required to remove them.

cystic fibrosis (CF): A hereditary disease that affects the lungs. The mucus that lines the lungs is much thicker than normal in CF patients and tends to stick together, resulting in difficulty breathing and an increased chance of infection.

duodenum: The beginning section of the small intestine, situated between the stomach and the jejunum (the middle section of the small intestine).

endocrine system: The system of glands that create the hormones that are responsible for regulating the internal workings of the body.

enzymes (digestive): A protein that is designed to speed up or create chemical reactions. Enzymes are not consumed in the reaction. In the digestive system, enzymes help break down food so that nutrients can be absorbed.

exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: A condition in which too few digestive enzymes are produced, leading to problems digesting food. This can result from chronic pancreatitis and cystic fibrosis.