Autoimmune pancreatitis - Also a Western disease

Abstract

Autoimmune pancreatitis is recognised worldwide as a T cell mediated, organ specific disease characterised by lymphocytic infiltration of the exocrine parenchyma with fibrosis and autoantibodies, including to carbonic anhydrase II. Increasing use of biopsy at endoscopic ultrasound may permit more frequent diagnosis without resection, but if doubt remains as to the presence of neoplasia, resection is preferable.