Re: Cambridge Class V Chronic Pancretitis

[Guest guest]

Patty,

The Cambridge classification system is one that grades levels of chronic

pancreatitis based

on imaging studies. I've pasted part of an article that discusses this below:

<The Cambridge classification uses imaging tests to provide a grading and

severity

system. It also differentiates acute and chronic pancreatitis, noting that a

single episode of

acute

pancreatitis may have implications on pancreatic morphology and function.

However, these classifications do not distinguish the different forms of chronic

pancreatitis on the basis of etiology, nor do they help to clinically

distinguish patients or

the functional abnormalities associated with those specific etiologies. Thus,

the

Cambridge system proves more useful as a staging system once the diagnosis is

made

rather than a system for classifying the etiologies of chronic pancreatitis.

Other

systems have also been proposed (e.g., a clinically based classification system

for

alcoholic chronic pancreatitis and a clinical-etiology system for chronic

calcifying

pancreatitis, but are not widely accepted. The limitations of current

classification, staging,

and reporting systems become clear when attempting to compare studies, and they

are

especially apparent when trying to classify patients with exocrine pancreatic

insufficiency

and normal duct systems, and vice versa.

These observations emphasize the reality that different disorders causing

similar-

appearing injury to the pancreas may follow different clinical courses. Thus,

clear

definitions of chronic pancreatitis, an etiology-based classification system,

and

functional, structural, and morphologic staging systems are needed.

Indeed, efforts are underway to develop such a system>

This is only a brief section of what I found. I went to Google and typed in

Cambridge Class

V Chronic Pancreatitis. Several sites appeared. I imagine if you were to

search just for

Cambridge Classification you would find plenty more information about this.

There was

one article that said a patient who was eligible for a Whipple was classed at

stage V, which

to me, means that a class V diagnosis would be pretty well advanced CP.

I hope this helps.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina Rep.

SE Regional Rep., PAI

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or opinion only,

and

should not be substituted for professional medical consultation.