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| Credit: topnews.in |
Smoking, heavy drinking linked to
earlier onset of pancreatic cancer
Those
who smoke and drink heavily may develop pancreatic cancer at an earlier age
than those who don’t, according to a study led by gastroenterologist Dr.
Michelle Anderson of the University of Michigan Health System.
The
average age at which pancreatic cancer is found is 72, according to the
American Cancer Society.
Almost a Decade Sooner
In
the study heavy smokers with pancreatic cancer were diagnosed around age 62 and
heavy drinkers at age 61 – almost a decade earlier.
Smoking
is a strong risk factor for pancreatic cancer and alcohol has been shown to
cause oxidative damage to the pancreas, which sets the stage for the
inflammatory pathways that can lead to cancer. The findings only indicate these
habits can lead to developing pancreatic cancer earlier in life.
The
study of 811 pancreatic cancer patients from the multicenter, international
database Pancreatic Cancer Collaborative Registry does not prove the habits
caused cancer.
The
study does make a step toward understanding at what age screening for
pancreatic cancer should begin – once widespread screening is available.
“As
screening programs are developed, an understanding of how personal features
influence the age of presentation will be important to optimize the timing of
those screenings,” says lead study author and gastroenterologist Michelle
Anderson, M.D., assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of
Michigan Health System.
Early Detection Difficult
Detecting
pancreatic cancer early is difficult and contributes to the poor survival
rates. By the time pancreatic cancer is diagnosed, it is frequently at an
advanced stage and has spread to other organs.
Currently
there are no tests available to easily find it in people who do not have
symptoms. In the study heavy smokers were defined as those who had more than a
pack per day, and heavy drinking was measured at more than 39 grams a day, or
about three average drinks per day.
Beer
drinkers presented with pancreatic cancer earlier than those who drank other
types of alcohol, such as wine or hard liquor although when adjusted for the
amount of alcohol consumed, the type of alcohol did not affect the age of
presentation.
On the Bright Side
The
good news is that the harmful effects of heavy drinking and smoking can be
reveresed. After 10 years, former smokers and drinkers who quit their habits
faced no extra risk of earlier diagnosis.
###
The
report was e-published ahead of print in The American Journal of
Gastroenterology :
Anderson
MA, Zolotarevsky E, Cooper KL, Sherman S, Shats O, Whitcomb DC, Lynch HT,
Ghiorzo P, Rubinstein WS, Vogel KJ, Sasson AR, Grizzle WE, Ketcham MA, Lee SY,
Normolle D, Plonka CM, Mertens AN, Tripon RC, Brand RE. Alcohol and Tobacco Lower the Age of Presentation in Sporadic
Pancreatic Cancer in a Dose-Dependent Manner: A Multicenter Study. Am J Gastroenterol. 2012 Aug 28. doi:10.1038/ajg.2012.288
Click
HERE for more on Pancreatic Cancer from The American Cancer Society
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