Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a fatal autosomal recessive genetic disease caused by mutations in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane onductance Regulator, CFTR (ABCC7).
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More than 400,000 patients are treated worldwide. New therapeutic strategies are being evaluated to correct protein abnormalities related to these mutations in order to target the origin of the disease.
Cystic fibrosis is one of the most prevalent and serious genetic disorders in France and other Western countries. It primarily impairs respiratory and digestive functions due to the accumulation of abnormally thick and sticky mucus in these systems.
In the majority of patients, pancreatic ducts become obstructed by this viscous mucus, similar to that found in the lungs. As a result, digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas are unable to reach the small intestine, making enzyme replacement therapy essential.
These chronic symptoms, along with the associated infectious and functional complications, significantly reduce patients' quality of life and life expectancy.
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive tumor, most commonly of the exocrine adenocarcinoma type. Over 90% of cases are ductal adenocarcinomas, which originate from the epithelial cells lining the pancreatic duct (Wirsung’s duct). Other forms of pancreatic cancer are much rarer and include neuroendocrine carcinoma, which affects the endocrine cells, cystadenocarcinoma, and adenosquamous carcinoma.
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Crohn's disease
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by a variety of symptoms, primarily digestive. It is a painful and highly debilitating disorder.
As a chronic, long-term inflammation, it can lead to the formation of scar tissue within the intestine, resulting in strictures — narrowed sections that can slow down the passage of food and cause pain or cramping. The main symptoms include abdominal pain and diarrhea.
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Crohn’s disease affects men and women equally and appears to have a hereditary component. It can occur at any age, but most often develops in young adults. Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop the disease.
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is an addiction related to the consumption of alcohol, specifically ethanol. This psychoactive substance has effects on the brain, as well as changes in mental activity and behavior. The psychological dependence induced by this addiction leads to regular and increasing alcohol consumption, which is the cause of numerous conditions, including the following:
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Liver cirrhosis with hepatic cell failure
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Nervous system damage, including neuropathies and alcoholic dementias
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Hypertension
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Liver, esophageal, and stomach cancers
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Chronic pancreatitis
Alcoholism leads to chronic inflammation of the pancreas, which progressively results in sclerosis of the pancreatic gland, ultimately leading to its destruction. The final stage is marked by severe epigastric pain crises and weight loss due to malabsorption syndrome.