THE PANCREAS IN AIDS

Although autopsy studies reveal significant pancreatic lesions in abou t 10% of AIDS patients, pancreatic lesions infrequently produce sympto ms and are rarely recognized premortem. Patients with AIDS can develop pancreatic disease from causes not related to AIDS or AIDS-specific l esions. AIDS-specific causes include opportunistic infection, AIDS-ass ociated neoplasia, and medications used to treat complications of AIDS . Pancreatic involvement is usually part of a widely disseminated tumo r and rarely produces clinical symptoms.