Association of Pancreatic Fatty Infiltration With... : Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology (original) (raw)

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Association of Pancreatic Fatty Infiltration With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Hori, Mika PhD1; Takahashi, Mami PhD2; Hiraoka, Nobuyoshi MD, PhD3; Yamaji, Taiki MD, PhD, MPH4; Mutoh, Michihiro MD, PhD5; Ishigamori, Rikako PhD5; Furuta, Koh MD, PhD6; Okusaka, Takuji MD, PhD7; Shimada, Kazuaki MD, PhD8; Kosuge, Tomoo MD, PhD8; Kanai, Yae MD, PhD3; Nakagama, Hitoshi MD, DMSc1,5

1Division of Cancer Development System, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan

2Central Animal Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan

3Division of Molecular Pathology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan

4Epidemiology and Prevention Division, Research Center for Cancer Prevention and Screening, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan

5Division of Cancer Prevention Research, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan

6Division of Pathology and Clinical Laboratories, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

7Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Oncology Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

8Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

*Correspondence: Hitoshi Nakagama, MD, DMSc, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan. E-mail: [email protected]

Received 1 November 13; revised 6 January 14; accepted 15 January 14

published online 13 March 2014

Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology 5(3):p e53, March 2014. | DOI: 10.1038/ctg.2014.5

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

Fatty infiltration (FI) in the pancreas is positively correlated with high body mass index (BMI) or obesity, and the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM), which are well-known risk factors of pancreatic cancer. However, the association of FI in the pancreas with pancreatic cancer is unclear. Recently, we have shown that Syrian golden hamsters feature FI of the pancreas, the severity of which increases along with the progression of carcinogenesis induced by a chemical carcinogen. To translate the results to a clinical setting, we investigated whether FI in the pancreas is associated with pancreatic cancer in a series of patients who had undergone pancreatoduodenectomy.

METHODS:

In the series, we identified 102 cases with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and 85 controls with cancers except for PDAC. The degree of FI was evaluated histopathologically from the area occupied by adipocytes in pancreas sections, and was compared between the cases and controls.

RESULTS:

The degree of FI in the pancreas was significantly higher in cases than in controls (median 26 vs. 15%, P <0.001) and positively associated with PDAC, even after adjustment for BMI, prevalence of DM and other confounding factors (odds ratio (OR), 6.1; P <0.001). BMI was identified as the most significantly associated factor with FI in the pancreas.

CONCLUSIONS:

There is a positive correlation between FI in the pancreas and pancreatic cancer.