Alcohol, tobacco (nicotine) and pancreatic pathophysiology.

Current knowledge indicates that chronic use of alcohol is implicated in the etiology of chronic pancreatitis and probably in pancreatic cancer and that chronic use of tobacco is associated with pancreatic cancer and probably pancreatitis. Studies by others, and by us, support this knowledge. In addition, our studies suggest that nicotine, which is a major component and an additive component of tobacco, is probably a major factor in these pathological effects. The possibility exists that nicotine may also play a role in tobacco induced diseases of other organs of the body.