Autoimmune pancreatitis and IgG4-related sclerosing disease

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is a unique form of pancreatitis that is suspected to involve autoimmune mechanisms. Given that AIP responds dramatically to steroid therapy, it is important to distinguish it from pancreatic cancer. AIP may be one manifestation of IgG4-related sclerosing disease, which is a systemic disease in which IgG4-positive plasma cells and T lymphocytes extensively infiltrate various organs. Kamisawa and colleagues describe...