Individuals with PCOS are at 1.9-3.4x the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.[1],[2] In this article we explore the link between PCOS and pancreatic cancer.
A clear linkage between PCOS and pancreatic cancer has not yet been established; current hypotheses include:
Excess deposits of fat within the pancreas (intrapancreatic fat deposition or IPFD);[3]
Shared risk factors including hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, raised estrogen levels, chronic inflammation, and reduced apoptosis (programmed cell death);[4] and
Increased levels of sympathetic nerve activity.[5]
There are a variety of other risk factors for pancreatic cancer, including:[6]
Increasing age;
Ethnicity and gender (African Americans and men being at slightly higher risk);
Obesity and Type 2 diabetes;
Family history of pancreatic cancer;
Chronic pancreatitis, long-term inflammation of the pancreas;
Inherited genetic variants including BRCA1 and BRCA2, genetic variants also linked with increased ovarian cancer risk;
Genetic changes associated with Lynch syndrome, Ataxia telangiectasia (AT), familial atypical multiple mole melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and changes to genes PALB2 and PRSS1;
Dietary and lifestyle choices, including tobacco and alcohol use, level of consumption of red / processed meats and sugary drinks and physical inactivity; and
Infections such as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) or Hepatitis B.
Reviewed by Dr. O, one of Neuraura’s friends and trusted advisors.
Sources
[1] https://www.mskcc.org/news/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-associated-higher-risk-pancreatic-cancer-new-study-shows
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9539727/
[3] https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/pancreatic-fat-main-driver-exocrine-and-endocrine-pancreatic-2024a100084f
[4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030698771930965X
[5] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030698771930965X
[6] https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/pancreatic-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html
Complications - Cancer