Carcinoma of the pancreas presenting as relapsing pancreatitis

A case is reported of a 32-year old man, in which relapsing pancreatitis was the presenting symptom of an underlying carcinoma of the body of the pancreas. The rare association of clinically manifest pancreatitis and pancreatic carcinoma is reviewed and a possible pathogenetic mechanism is proposed in this case. It is suggested that pancreatic carcinoma should be suspected in patients with relapsing so-called idiopathic pancreatitis.