Symptoms

Pain, the only sensation that can be elicited from the pancreas, is the major symptom in patients with CP. Pancreatic pain is poorly localized in the abdominal area, with an intensity ranging from mild to severe. It usually radiates to the back and the left shoulder, mimicking a myocardial infarction (heart attack). It also produces strong autonomic (involuntary) responses such as nausea and vomiting. Alcohol and food consumption exacerbate (worsen) the symptoms.

Other symptoms of CP include epigastric (pertaining to the upper middle region of the abdomen) tenderness, weight loss, fatigue, and steatorrhea (excessive fat in the feces, characterized by loose, greasy, foul-smelling stools). Exocrine insufficiency is often followed by islet-cell dysfunction, leading to diabetes mellitus.