What is the outlook (prognosis) for chronic pancreatitis?
If alcohol is the cause of chronic pancreatitis then other alcohol-related illnesses commonly also develop. If you continue to drink alcohol and pancreatitis becomes severe than life expectancy is typically reduced by 10-20 years. This is due to complications of pancreatitis or to other alcohol-related illnesses. If you stop drinking alcohol completely in the early stages of the condition then the outlook is better. The outlook for other less common causes of chronic pancreatitis depends on the cause and severity of the condition.
