Incidence of cancer in the course of chronic pancreatitis

Serum levels of the N-terminal fragment of connective tissue growth factor is a novel biomarker for chronic pancreatitis

Chronic inflammation of the pancreas is considered to be one of the causes of pancreatic cancer. However, the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis (CP) is very difficult in the pancreas, where biopsies are difficult to perform. The prevalence of CP is estimated to be many times more common than in patients with actual symptomatic CP. In recent years, abnormal cleavage of certain proteins has attracted attention as a biomarker for CP other than pancreatic enzymes. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is one of the growth factors involved in tissue repair and other processes and is increased by stimulation of transforming growth factor-β, suggesting a relationship of CTGF with fibrosis. In this study, we measured the total length of CTGF in blood and N-terminal fragment CTGF in 48 cases of chronic pancreatitis, 64 cases of pancreatic cancer and 45 healthy volunteers (HV). Interestingly, we found that blood N-terminal fragment CTGF level was significantly increased in CP and pancreatic cancer patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed serum levels of N-terminal fragment CTGF, CRP and amylase were significant and independent variables for the differential diagnosis of CP from HV. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that area under the curve (AUC) value of serum N-terminal fragment CTGF level was 0.933, which can differentiate between CP and HV. Several factors would be involved in the increase in serum N-terminal fragment CTGF level. In conclusion, serum N-terminal fragment CTGF level is a promising new biomarker for CP.

The Role of Endoscopic Ultrasound in Early Chronic Pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is an irreversible and progressive inflammation of the pancreas that can involve both pancreatic parenchyma and the pancreatic duct. CP results in morphological changes in the gland in the form of fibrosis and calcification along with functional impairment in the form of exocrine and endocrine insufficiency. Studies on the natural history of CP reveal the irreversibility of the condition and the resultant plethora of complications, of which pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the most dreaded one. In Japanese population-based studies by Otsuki and Fuzino et al., CP was clearly shown to reduce lifespan among males and females by 10.5 years and 16 years, respectively. This dismal prognosis is superadded to significant morbidity due to pain and poor quality of life, creating a significant burden on health and health-related infrastructure. These factors have led researchers to conceptualize early CP, which, theoretically, is a reversible stage in the disease spectrum characterised by ongoing pancreatic injury with the presence of clinical symptoms and the absence of classical imaging features of CP. Subsequently, the disease is thought to progress through a compensated stage, a transitional stage, and to culminate in a decompensated stage, with florid evidence of the functional impairment of the gland. In this focused review, we will discuss the definition and concept of early CP, the risk factors and natural history of the development of CP, and the role of various modalities of EUS in the timely diagnosis of early CP.

Incidence and risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with acute or chronic pancreatitis: a population-based cohort study

We aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk of pancreatic cancer (PC) in pancreatitis. We identified patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) (n = 225,811, 50.0%) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) (n = 225,685, 50.0%) from Korean population-based data and matched them with age- and sex-matched controls (n = 4,514,960). We analyzed the incidence and adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of PC among patients followed for more than 2 years or 5 years, and assessed risk changes over time in single episode of AP (SAP), recurrent AP (RAP), CP with AP, and CP without AP groups. We also performed subgroup analysis for both sexes. The incidences (per 104 person-years) and risks (aHR) of PC were higher in the RAP (12.69, 5.00) or CP with AP (12.12, 5.74) groups compared to the SAP (2.31, 1.32) or CP without AP (2.28, 1.57) groups. The risks of PC decreased over time, however, the risk of PC remained elevated in the RAP and CP with AP groups for more than 8 years. Females with RAP, SAP, and CP with AP had higher risks of PC than males. The risk of PC is higher and persists for longer duration in patients with RAP and CP with AP compared to those with SAP or CP without AP.

Pancreatic Cancer and Detection Methods

The pancreas is a vital organ with exocrine and endocrine functions. Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas caused by alcohol consumption and gallstones. This condition can heighten the risk of pancreatic cancer (PC), a challenging disease with a high mortality rate. Genetic and epigenetic factors contribute significantly to PC development, along with other risk factors. Early detection is crucial for improving PC outcomes. Diagnostic methods, including imagining modalities and tissue biopsy, aid in the detection and analysis of PC. In contrast, liquid biopsy (LB) shows promise in early tumor detection by assessing biomarkers in bodily fluids. Understanding the function of the pancreas, associated diseases, risk factors, and available diagnostic methods is essential for effective management and early PC detection. The current clinical examination of PC is challenging due to its asymptomatic early stages and limitations of highly precise diagnostics. Screening is recommended for high-risk populations and individuals with potential benign tumors. Among various PC screening methods, the N-NOSE plus pancreas test stands out with its high AUC of 0.865. Compared to other commercial products, the N-NOSE plus pancreas test offers a cost-effective solution for early detection. However, additional diagnostic tests are required for confirmation. Further research, validation, and the development of non-invasive screening methods and standardized scoring systems are crucial to enhance PC detection and improve patient outcomes. This review outlines the context of pancreatic cancer and the challenges for early detection.

Salivary Polyamines Help Detect High-Risk Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: A Prospective Validation Study

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most malignant cancer types and has a poor prognosis. It is often diagnosed at an advanced stage because of the absence of typical symptoms. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a screening method for the early detection of pancreatic cancer in high-risk individuals. This is a prospective validation study conducted in a cohort of 1033 Japanese individuals (male, n = 467, age = 63.3 ± 11.5 years; female, n = 566, age = 64.2 ± 10.6 years) to evaluate the use of salivary polyamines for screening pancreatic diseases and cancers. Patients with pancreatic cancer were not included; however, other pancreatic diseases were treated as positive cases for accuracy verification. Of the 135 individuals with elevated salivary polyamine markers, 66 had pancreatic diseases, such as chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cysts, and 1 had gallbladder cancer. These results suggest that the salivary polyamine panel is a useful noninvasive pancreatic disease screening tool.

Measuring optimal ultrasound speed using endoscopic ultrasound in patients with chronic pancreatitis, including early stage

OBJECTIVES

Ultrasound speed (USS) correction improves image quality by estimating the optimal USS correcting the deviation from a predetermined USS. This study assessed USS differences between chronic pancreatitis (CP), early CP (ECP), and normal pancreas when using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). The usefulness of measuring optimal USS was evaluated for patients with CP, including early stage patients.

METHODS

This study enrolled 116 consecutive patients for whom USS was measured using an EUS system. The USS correction principle is generation of a B-mode image by changing the USS in all ranges while correcting the delay in the received data. Final diagnoses were made according to the Japanese diagnostic criteria for CP in 2019. They were classified as CP, ECP, or normal. We compared USS applied for these three groups.

RESULTS

The medians and ranges of USS values for patients in the normal, ECP, and CP groups were 1506.0 (1407-1600) m/s, 1580.0 (1520-1630) m/s, and 1574.0 (1537-1610) m/s, respectively. The USS values of the ECP and CP groups were significantly higher than those of the normal group (P < 0.001). Analyses of the receiver operating characteristic curve in the normal pancreas, ECP, and CP revealed the area as 0.957, with specificity and sensitivity of 95.9% and 87.5%, respectively, using the USS of 1535 m/s as a cut-off.

CONCLUSION

Measurement of USS might be particularly useful for distinguishing between normal and ECP imaging.

Future challenges in gastroenterology and hepatology, between innovations and unmet needs: A SIGE Young Editorial Board's perspective

Gastroenterology, Digestive Endoscopy and Hepatology have faced significant improvements in terms of diagnosis and therapy in the last decades. However, many fields still remain poorly explored, and many questions unanswered. Moreover, basic-science, as well as translational and clinical discoveries, together with technology advancement will determine further steps toward a better, refined care for many gastroenterological disorders in the future. Therefore, the Young Investigators of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology (SIGE) joined together, offering a perspective on major future innovations in some hot clinical topics in Gastroenterology, Endoscopy, and Hepatology, as well as the current pitfalls and the grey zones.

Chronic Pancreatitis Is a Risk Factor for Pancreatic Cancer, and Incidence Increases With Duration of Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Observational studies have suggested an increased risk of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in patients with acute and chronic pancreatitis. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the magnitude of this association and summarize the published epidemiological evidence.

METHODS

We searched electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus) and reference lists until January 18, 2021. Studies reporting quantitative association between pancreatitis and PDAC were included and assessed for eligibility, data abstraction, and risk of bias. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were pooled using the random-effects model.

RESULTS

Twenty-five cohort and case-control studies met inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis of 12 chronic pancreatitis (CP) studies demonstrated an increased risk of PDAC in patients with CP (SIR: 22.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 14.42-35.44). This elevated risk persisted in subgroup analysis of studies that excluded patients diagnosed with PDAC within 2 years of CP diagnosis (SIR: 21.77, 95% CI: 14.43-32.720). The risk was higher in hereditary pancreatitis (SIR: 63.36, 95% CI: 45.39-88.46). The cumulative incidence rates of PDAC in CP increased with follow-up duration. Limited evidence in acute pancreatitis indicates higher PDAC risk in the subset of patients eventually diagnosed with CP. PDAC seems to be uncommon in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis, with 8 reported cases in 358 patients with autoimmune pancreatitis across 4 studies.

DISCUSSION

There is an increased risk of PDAC in patients with CP, and incidence rates increase with CP disease duration. Our results indicate that PDAC surveillance may be considered in individuals with long-standing CP.

Metachronous occurrence of main-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) and adenocarcinoma in a chronic pancreatitis patient: A case report

RATIONALE

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a risk factor for developing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In addition, a patient with partial pancreatectomy for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) can also lead to PDAC. In contrast, IPMN is a distinct disease entity, independent of CP, and there have been few reports that CP is the cause of IPMN. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first clinical case report of the metachronous occurrence of main-duct IPMN and PDAC with a 9 and half-year interval in a patient with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 50-year-old man with a long medical history of recurrent alcoholic pancreatitis and hepatitis over a decade was diagnosed with another episode of acute pancreatitis based on laboratory findings and clinical symptoms. The patient underwent pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD) for a small nodular lesion in the main duct of the pancreatic head and was diagnosed with main-duct IPMN low-grade dysplasia and associated fibrosing CP. Nine and a half years later, a 59-year-old man lost 7 kg over 3 months and was diagnosed with new-onset diabetes mellitus.

DIAGNOSIS

The patient was diagnosed with metachronous, well-differentiated PDAC with concomitant CP.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient underwent radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) for a small nodular mass in the remnant pancreas.

OUTCOMES

The patient was healthy for 44 months without evidence of tumor recurrence during clinical follow-up examinations including laboratory findings, tumor marker, and imaging studies.

LESSONS

Early diagnosis of metachronous pancreatic neoplasia in a patient with chronic pancreatitis could be made by correlating newly developed clinical symptoms and signs with careful radiological examinations.

Incidence and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer in Patients with a New Diagnosis of Chronic Pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a risk factor for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC); nevertheless, the true incidence of PDAC in CP patients in the United States remains unclear.

AIMS

We evaluated the risk of developing PDAC two or more years after a new diagnosis of CP.

METHODS

Retrospective study of veterans from September 1999 to October 2015. A three-year washout period was applied to exclude patients with preexisting CP and PDAC. PDAC risk was evaluated in patients with new-diagnosis CP and compared with controls without CP using Cox-proportional hazards model. CP, PDAC, and other covariates were extracted using ICD-9 codes.

RESULTS

After exclusions, we identified 7,883,893 patients [new-diagnosis CP - 21,765 (0.28%)]. PDAC was diagnosed in 226 (1.04%) patients in the CP group and 15,858 (0.20%) patients in the control group (p < 0.001). CP patients had a significantly higher PDAC risk compared to controls > 2 years [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 4.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.74-4.89, p < 0.001], 5 years (adjusted HR 3.32, 95% CI 2.75-4.00, p < 0.001) and 10 years of follow-up (adjusted HR 3.14, 95% CI 1.99-4.93, p < 0.001), respectively. By multivariable analysis, age (odds ratio 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.03, p = 0.03), current smoker (odds ratio 1.67, 95% CI 1.02-2.74, p = 0.042), current smoker + alcoholic (odds ratio 2.29, 95% CI 1.41-3.52, p < 0.001), and diabetes (odds ratio 1.51, 95% CI 1.14-1.99, p = 0.004) were the independent risk factors for PDAC.

CONCLUSION

Our data show that after controlling for etiology of CP and other cofactors, the risk of PDAC increased in CP patients after two years of follow-up, and risk was consistent and sustained beyond 5 years and 10 years of follow-up.

Pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia with carcinoma in situ with repeated distally localized pancreatitis: a case report

Background

Acute pancreatitis could be an early symptom of pancreatic cancer. However, repeated pancreatitis caused by pancreatic cancer is very rare.

Case presentation

A 69-year-old man was referred to our hospital with severe abdominal pain, and serial imaging studies showed acute distally localized pancreatitis with a pseudocyst. Although he had successful conservative medical treatment followed by discharge from the hospital, he was re-admitted with severe abdominal pain for recurrent distal pancreatitis with splenic artery aneurysm followed by its rupture. No pancreas mass was detected by imaging studies including endoscopic ultrasound and cytologic studies of the pancreas juice did not show any malignant cells, although slight dilatation of distal pancreas duct was observed only in the initial computed tomography. Because of the episodes of repeated distally localized pancreatitis caused by possible pancreatic ductal neoplasm, we planned and performed laparoscopy-assisted distal pancreatectomy after full-informed consent. Pathological examination revealed pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) with carcinoma in situ in the distal main pancreas duct. The post-surgical course of the patient was uneventful and he was discharged 10 days after surgery from recurrent disease for over a year.

Conclusions

We encountered a case of repeated episodes of acute distally localized pancreatitis, for which distal pancreatectomy was performed, resulting in pathological diagnosis of PanIN with carcinoma in situ.

The Relationship between Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: Review

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal disease with poor prognosis, leading to significant cancer-related mortality and an overall five-year survival rate of about nine percent. Acute and chronic pancreatitis have been associated with PDAC through common risk factors based on multiple epidemiological studies. Acute pancreatitis (AP) might be one of the earliest manifestations of PDAC, but evolving chronic pancreatitis (CP) following recurrent bouts of AP has been proposed as a risk factor for cancer development in the setting of persistent inflammation and ongoing exposure to carcinogens. This review aims to highlight the evidence supporting the relationship between acute and chronic pancreatitis with PDAC.

Identification of Individuals at Increased Risk for Pancreatic Cancer in a Community-Based Cohort of Patients With Suspected Chronic Pancreatitis

We lack reliable methods for identifying patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) at increased risk for pancreatic cancer. We aimed to identify radiographic parameters associated with pancreatic cancer in this population.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells: Bridging the gap between inflammation and pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic cancer has been identified as one of the deadliest malignancies because it remains asymptomatic and usually presents in the advanced stage. Tumour immune evasion is a well-known mechanism of tumorigenesis in various forms of human malignancies. Chronic inflammation via complex networking of various inflammatory cytokines in the local tissue microenvironment dysregulates the immune system and support tumour development. Pro-inflammatory mediators present in the tumour microenvironment increase the tumour burden by causing immune suppression through the generation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and T regulatory cells. These cells, along-with myofibroblasts, create a highly immunosuppressive and resistant tumour microenvironment and are thus considered as one of the culprits for the failure of anti-cancer chemotherapies in pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients. Targeting these MDSCs using various combinatorial approaches might have the potential for abrogating the resistance and suppressive nature of the pancreatic tumour microenvironment. Therefore, there is more curiosity in studying the crosstalk of MDSCs with other immune cells during pathological conditions and the underlying mechanisms of immunosuppression in the current scenario. In this article, the possible role of MDSCs in inflammation-mediated tumour progression of pancreatic adenocarcinoma has been discussed.

Impact of physiologically shaped pancreatic stent for chronic pancreatitis

Endoscopic pancreatic stenting is used to prevent main pancreatic duct obstruction and relieve painful symptoms of chronic pancreatitis. However, the stent typically needs to be exchanged and the rate of adverse events is high. Few studies have evaluated the effect of stent shape on those outcomes. We evaluated the adverse events, stent patency, and total medical cost within 90 days of patients who received an 8.5 French (Fr) physiologically shaped pancreatic stent by comparing these features with those associated with a conventional straight-type stent for ≥ 90 days. The total stent-related adverse event rate was significantly lower for the physiologically shaped pancreatic stent (physiologically shaped, 6.7% [2/30]; straight-type, 50.6% [44/87]; P < 0.001). Stent occlusion was significantly less frequent (P < 0.001) and the total medical costs were significantly lower (P = 0.002) for the physiologically shaped stent. The stent-related adverse event rate was significantly higher for the 10 Fr straight type stent than for the 8.5 Fr physiologically shaped stent (10 Fr, straight-type vs. 8.5 Fr, physiologically shaped: 36.1% [13/36] vs. 6.7% [2/30]; P = 0.007). In conclusion, a physiologically shaped pancreatic stent was superior to a straight-type stent in terms of the patency rate and medical costs.

Pancreatic Cancer Exposome Profile to Aid Early Detection and Inform Prevention Strategies

Pancreatic cancer (PCa) is associated with a poor prognosis and high mortality rate. The causes of PCa are not fully elucidated yet, although certain exposome factors have been identified. The exposome is defined as the sum of all environmental factors influencing the occurrence of a disease during a life span. The development of an exposome approach for PCa has the potential to discover new disease-associated factors to better understand the carcinogenesis of PCa and help with early detection strategies. Our systematic review of the literature identified several exposome factors that have been associated with PCa alone and in combination with other exposures. A potential inflammatory signature has been observed among the interaction of several exposures (i.e., smoking, alcohol consumption, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and inflammatory markers) that further increases the incidence and progression of PCa. A large number of exposures have been identified such as genetic, hormonal, microorganism infections and immune responses that warrant further investigation. Future early detection strategies should utilize this information to assess individuals' risk for PCa.

Endoscopic Ultrasonography Findings of Early and Suspected Early Chronic Pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is associated with a risk of pancreatic cancer and is characterized by irreversible morphological changes, fibrosis, calcification, and exocrine and endocrine insufficiency. CP is a progressive disease with a poor prognosis and is typically diagnosed at an advanced stage. The Japan Pancreas Society proposed criteria for early CP in 2009, and their usefulness has been reported. Recently, a mechanism definition was proposed by the International Consensus Guidelines and early CP was defined as a disease state that is not based on disease duration. CP is diagnosed by computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and endoscopic cholangiopancreatography, which can detect calcification and dilation of the pancreatic ducts; however, detecting early CP with these modalities is difficult because subtle changes in early CP occur before established CP or end-stage CP. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is useful in the diagnosis of early CP because it allows high-resolution, close-up observation of the pancreas. In addition to imaging findings, EUS with elastography enables measurement of the stiffness of the pancreas, an objective diagnostic measure. Understanding the EUS findings of early CP is important because a histological diagnosis is problematic, and other modalities are not capable of detecting subtle changes in early CP.

Risk of Developing Pancreatic Cancer in Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis

Background: Patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) have an increased risk of developing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We present data on PDAC in one of the most extensive European single-centre cohort studies of patients with CP. Methods: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of patients with CP was performed. Aetiology of CP was determined according to the M-ANNHEIM classification system and only patients with definite CP > 18 years at data analysis were included. The final dataset included 581 patients with definite CP diagnosed between 2003 and 2018. Results: At CP diagnosis, there were 371 (63.9%) males and 210 (36.1%) females (median age 57 years, range 2–86). During 3423 person-years of observation, six pancreatic cancers were diagnosed (0.2% year). The mean time between diagnosis of CP and the occurrence of PDAC was 5.0 years (range 2.7–8.6). None of the cancer patients had a family history of PDAC. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was present in five of six (83.3%) patients with PDAC: in three patients before and in two after CP diagnosis. Clinical/laboratory signs of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) were present in five of six (83.3%) patients with PDAC: in two at diagnosis of CP and in three after diagnosis. The mean survival time was 4 months after the diagnosis of PDAC (range 0.5–13). PDAC occurred significantly more often (p < 0.001) in two groups of patients without previous acute pancreatitis (AP): 2 of 20 patients (10%) with low body mass index (BMI) and PEI and in 3 of 10 (30%) patients with high BMI and DM at diagnosis of CP. Conclusions: Patients with CP have a high risk of developing PDAC, although risk is low in absolute terms. Our data suggest the possibility of defining subgroups of patients with a particularly elevated risk of PDAC. Such a possibility would open a path to personalised decision making on initiation of PDAC surveillance of patients with no previous episode of AP, (i) with low BMI and PEI, or (ii) elevated BMI and DM.

Mass-forming pancreatitis versus pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: CT and MR imaging for differentiation

Various inflammatory abnormalities of the pancreas can mimic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) at cross-sectional imaging. Misdiagnosis of PDAC at imaging may lead to unnecessary surgery. On the other hand, chronic pancreatitis (CP) bears a greater risk of developing PDAC during the course of the disease. Thus, differentiation between mass-forming chronic pancreatitis (MFCP) and PDAC is important to avoid unnecessary surgery and not to delay surgery of synchronous PDAC in CP.

Imaging features such as the morphology of the mass including displacement of calcifications, presence of duct penetrating, sign appearance of duct stricturing, presence or absence of vessel encasement, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) at diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in PET/CT, and mass perfusion parameters can help to differentiate between PDAC and MFCP. Correct interpretation of imaging features can appropriately guide biopsy and surgery, if necessary. This review summarizes the relevant computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features that can help the radiologist to come to a confident diagnosis and to guide further management in equivocal cases.

International Consensus Guidelines for Risk Factors in Chronic Pancreatitis. Recommendations from the working group for the international consensus guidelines for chronic pancreatitis in collaboration with the International Association of Pancreatology, the American Pancreatic Association, the Japan Pancreas Society, and European Pancreatic Club

BACKGROUND

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a complex inflammatory disease with remarkably impaired quality of life and permanent damage of the pancreas. This paper is part of the international consensus guidelines on CP and presents the consensus on factors elevating the risk for CP.

METHODS

An international working group with 20 experts on CP from the major pancreas societies (IAP, APA, JPS, and EPC) evaluated 14 statements generated from evidence on four questions deemed to be the most clinically relevant in CP. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to evaluate the level of evidence available per statement. To determine the level of agreement, the working group voted on the 14 statements for strength of agreement, using a nine-point Likert scale in order to calculate Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient.

RESULTS

Strong consensus and agreement were obtained for the following statements: Alcohol, smoking, and certain genetic alterations are risk factors for CP. Past history, family history, onset of symptoms, and life-style factors including alcohol intake and smoking history should be determined. Alcohol consumption dose-dependently elevates the risk of CP up to 4-fold. Ever smokers, even smoking less than a pack of cigarettes per day, have an increased risk for CP, as compared to never smokers.

CONCLUSIONS

Both genetic and environmental factors can markedly elevate the risk for CP. Therefore, health-promoting lifestyle education and in certain cases genetic counselling should be employed to reduce the incidence of CP.

Familial Pancreatic Cancer and Surveillance of High-Risk Individuals

Family history of pancreatic cancer (PC) is a risk factor for PC development, and the risk level correlates with the number of affected families. A case of PC with ≥1 PC cases in the first-degree relative is broadly defined as familial pancreatic cancer (FPC) and accounts for 5% to 10% of total PC cases. FPC possesses several epidemiological, genetic and clinicopathological aspects that are distinct from those of conventional PCs. In Western countries, FPC registries have been established since the 1990s, and high-risk individuals are screened to detect early PCs. For the pharmacotherapy of FPC, especially in cases with germline pathogenic BRCA mutations, regimens using platinum and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor have recently been studied for their effectiveness. To date, the concept of FPC has prevailed in Western countries, and it has begun to infiltrate into Eastern countries. As the genetic background and environmental conditions vary in association with ethnicity and living area, we need to establish our own FPC registries and accumulate data in Asian countries.

Surveillance of Individuals with a Family History of Pancreatic Cancer and Inherited Cancer Syndromes: A Strategy for Detecting Early Pancreatic Cancers

A family history of pancreatic cancer (PC) is a risk factor of PC, and risk levels increase as affected families grow in number and/or develop PC at younger ages. Familial pancreatic cancer (FPC) is defined as a client having at least two PC cases in a first degree relatives. In the narrow sense, FPC does not include some inherited cancer syndromes that are known to increase the risks of PC, such as Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS), hereditary pancreatitis (HP), hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC), and so on. FPC accounts for 5%-10% of total PC diagnoses and is marked by several features in genetic, epidemiological, and clinicopathological findings that are similar to or distinct from conventional PC. Recent advances in genetic medicine have led to an increased ability to identify germline variants of cancer-associated genes. To date, high-risk individuals (HRIs) in many developed countries, including FPC kindreds and inherited cancer syndromes, are screened clinically to detect and treat early-stage PC. This article highlights the concept of FPC and the most recent data on its detection.

The Microbiota and Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal diseases. In pancreatic cancer development and progression, genetic (gene mutations and activation of oncogenes) and environmental factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity) play an essential role. Recently, molecular studies revealed that dysbiosis of microbiota also has influence on cancer development. Research indicates that bacteria and viruses can lead to chronic inflammation, antiapoptotic changes, cell survival, and cell invasion. This review presents bacteria and viruses oncogenic for the pancreas. Possible mechanisms of carcinogenic action are also described.

Transforming growth factor-β in pancreatic diseases: Mechanisms and therapeutic potential

Pancreatic diseases, such as acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer, are common gastrointestinal diseases resulting in the development of local and systemic complications with a high risk of death. Numerous studies have examined pancreatic diseases over the past few decades; however, the pathogenesis remains unclear, and there is a lack of effective treatment options. Recently, emerging evidence has suggested that transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) exerts controversial functions in apoptosis, inflammatory responses, and carcinogenesis, indicating its complex role in the pathogenesis of pancreas-associated disease. Therefore, a further understanding of relevant TGF-β signalling will provide new ideas and potential therapeutic targets for preventing disease progression. This is the first systematic review of recent data from animal and human clinical studies focusing on TGF-β signalling in pancreas damage and diseases. This information may aid in the development of therapeutic agents for regulating TGF-β in this pathology to prevent or treat pancreatic diseases.

Inflammation and pancreatic cancer: An updated review

Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with poor prognosis in the modern era. Inflammatory processes have emerged as key mediators of pancreatic cancer development and progression. Recently, studies have been carried out to investigate the underlying mechanisms that contribute to tumorigenesis induced by inflammation. In this review, the role of inflammation in the initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer is discussed.

Challenges in diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a growing source of cancer related death, yet has poor survival rates which have not improved in the last few decades. Its high mortality rate is attributed to pancreatic cancer biology, difficulty in early diagnosis and the lack of standardised international guidelines in assessing suspicious pancreatic masses. This review aims to provide an update in the current state of play in pancreatic cancer diagnosis and to evaluate the benefits and limitations of available diagnostic technology. The main modalities discussed are imaging with computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, endoscopic ultrasound and positron emission tomography and tissue acquisition with fine needle aspiration. We also review the improvements in the techniques used for tissue acquisition and the opportunity for personalised cancer medicine. Screening of high risk individuals, promising biomarkers and common mimickers of pancreatic cancer are also explored, as well as suggestions for future research directions to allow for earlier detection of pancreatic cancer. Timely and accurate diagnosis of pancreatic cancer can lead to improvements in the current poor outcome of this disease.

Metabolic biomarker signature to differentiate pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma from chronic pancreatitis

OBJECTIVE

Current non-invasive diagnostic tests can distinguish between pancreatic cancer (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) in only about two thirds of patients. We have searched for blood-derived metabolite biomarkers for this diagnostic purpose.

DESIGN

For a case-control study in three tertiary referral centres, 914 subjects were prospectively recruited with PDAC (n=271), CP (n=282), liver cirrhosis (n=100) or healthy as well as non-pancreatic disease controls (n=261) in three consecutive studies. Metabolomic profiles of plasma and serum samples were generated from 477 metabolites identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

A biomarker signature (nine metabolites and additionally CA19-9) was identified for the differential diagnosis between PDAC and CP. The biomarker signature distinguished PDAC from CP in the training set with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.96 (95% CI 0.93-0.98). The biomarker signature cut-off of 0.384 at 85% fixed specificity showed a sensitivity of 94.9% (95% CI 87.0%-97.0%). In the test set, an AUC of 0.94 (95% CI 0.91-0.97) and, using the same cut-off, a sensitivity of 89.9% (95% CI 81.0%-95.5%) and a specificity of 91.3% (95% CI 82.8%-96.4%) were achieved, successfully validating the biomarker signature.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with CP with an increased risk for pancreatic cancer (cumulative incidence 1.95%), the performance of this biomarker signature results in a negative predictive value of 99.9% (95% CI 99.7%-99.9%) (training set) and 99.8% (95% CI 99.6%-99.9%) (test set). In one third of our patients, the clinical use of this biomarker signature would have improved diagnosis and treatment stratification in comparison to CA19-9.

Incidence of and risk factors for pancreatic cancer in chronic pancreatitis: A cohort of 1656 patients

BACKGROUND

Risk of pancreatic cancer may increase in chronic pancreatitis patients.

AIMS

This study aimed to identify the incidence of and risk factors for pancreatic cancer in chronic pancreatitis patients.

METHODS

Chronic pancreatitis patients admitted to our center from January 2000 to December 2013 were enrolled. Cumulative rates of pancreatic cancer and survival rates were calculated. The standardized incidence ratio was calculated based on the pancreatic cancer incidence in general population of China. Risk factors for pancreatic cancer were identified.

RESULTS

In a total of 1656 patients, the median follow-up duration was 8.0 years. Pancreatic cancer was detected in 21 patients (1.3%). The expected number of cases of pancreatic cancer was 1.039, yielding a standardized incidence ratio of 20.22. The standardized incidence ratios for patients with a >60 pack-year smoking history were much higher (145.82). Two risk factors for pancreatic cancer were identified: age at the onset of chronic pancreatitis (hazard ratio, 1.05) and a >60 pack-year smoking history (hazard ratio, 11.83).

CONCLUSION

The risk of pancreatic cancer is markedly increased in chronic pancreatitis patients compared with the general population, especially in patients with an older age at onset and a >60 pack-year smoking history. The high-risk populations were suggested to be followed up closely.

Chronic Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Chronic pancreatitis is a putative risk factor for pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the magnitude and temporality of this association. We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for observational studies investigating the association between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. We computed overall effect estimates (EEs) with associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a random-effects meta-analytic model. The EEs were stratified by length of follow-up from chronic pancreatitis diagnosis to pancreatic cancer (lag period). Robustness of the results was examined in sensitivity analyses. We identified 13 eligible studies. Pooled EEs for pancreatic cancer in patients with chronic pancreatitis were 16.16 (95% CI: 12.59-20.73) for patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within 2 years from their chronic pancreatitis diagnosis. The risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with chronic pancreatitis decreased when the lag period was increased to 5 years (EE: 7.90; 95% CI: 4.26-14.66) or a minimum of 9 years (EE: 3.53; 95% CI: 1.69-7.38). In conclusion, chronic pancreatitis increases the risk of pancreatic cancer, but the association diminishes with long-term follow-up. Five years after diagnosis, chronic pancreatitis patients have a nearly eight-fold increased risk of pancreatic cancer. We suggest that common practice on inducing a 2-year lag period in these studies may not be sufficient. We also recommend a close follow-up in the first years following a diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis to avoid overlooking a pancreatic cancer.

Chronic Pancreatitis: Current Status and Challenges for Prevention and Treatment

This paper reviews the current status of our understanding of the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of the continuum of pancreatic diseases from acute and recurrent acute pancreatitis to chronic pancreatitis and the diseases that are often linked with pancreatitis including diabetes mellitus and pancreatic cancer. In addition to reviewing the current state of the field, we identify gaps in knowledge that are necessary to address to improve patient outcomes in these conditions.

Serum Mac-2 binding protein is a novel biomarker for chronic pancreatitis

AIM: To determine the efficacy of Mac-2 binding protein (Mac-2bp) for diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis.

METHODS: Fifty-nine healthy volunteers (HV), 162 patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP), and 94 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) were enrolled in this study. We measured serum Mac-2bp using our developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Additional biochemical variables were measured using an automated analyzer (including aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, γ-glutamyltransferase, alkaline phosphatase, triglyceride, C-reactive protein, and amylase levels) or chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and carcinoembryonic antigen). The ability of Mac-2bp to predict CP diagnosis accurately was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses.

RESULTS: Serum Mac-2bp levels were significantly increased in CP patients compared to HV (P < 0.0001) and PDAC patients (P < 0.0001). Area under the ROC curve values of Mac-2bp for the discrimination of CP from HV and PDAC were 0.727 and 0.784, respectively. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that serum Mac-2bp levels were independent determinants for CP diagnosis from HV and PDAC patients. Immunohistological staining showed that Mac-2bp was expressed faintly in the pancreas tissues of both CP and PDAC patients. Serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, γ-glutamyltransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and triglyceride levels were significantly higher in patients with CP or PDAC. Serum Mac-2bp levels were highly correlated with protein levels of alanine aminotransferase, γ-glutamyltransferase, and C-reactive protein, but not amylase, suggesting that the damaged liver produces Mac-2bp.

CONCLUSION: Measurement of serum Mac-2bp may be a novel and useful biomarker for CP diagnosis as well as liver fibrosis in the general population.

Clinical importance of Familial Pancreatic Cancer Registry in Japan: a report from kick-off meeting at International Symposium on Pancreas Cancer 2012

Pancreatic cancer is still a highly lethal disease with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 5 %. Early detection offers one of the best hopes for improving survival. Previous cohort studies and case-control studies showed that 4-10 % of pancreatic cancers have a hereditary basis, and individuals with a family history have an increased risk of developing pancreatic and extra-pancreatic malignancies. Since individuals with a family history of pancreatic cancer and those with a known genetic syndrome that predisposes to pancreatic cancer will be the first to benefit from early detection tests as they become available, familial pancreatic cancer (FPC) registries have been established in the US and Europe, but not yet in Japan. Such registries form the basis for epidemiological studies, clinical trials, and basic research on familial pancreatic cancer. There is a need for FPC registries in Japan as cancer risk varies among different populations and discoveries made in Western populations may not translate to the Japanese population. These registries in Japan will align with ongoing international efforts and add to a better understanding of the natural history, risk factors, screening strategies, and responsible genes, for improving survival of this dismal disease.

Specific increase in serum core-fucosylated haptoglobin in patients with chronic pancreatitis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has the worst prognosis of all malignancies, and its diagnosis in early stages is the most important prognostic factor. Chronic pancreatitis (CP), a common background of PDAC occurrence, is morphologically defined as progressive pancreatic fibrosis and inflammation accompanied by pancreatic exocrine cell atrophy. We recently found that inflammation and fibrosis are independent characteristic histological changes in noncancerous lesions in PDAC patients despite the absence of a past history of clinical CP. Subclinical CP is an important background for PDAC occurrence. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a noninvasive and reliable biomarker for CP diagnosis.

METHODS

Fifty-nine healthy volunteers (HV), 159 patients with CP, and 83 patients with PDAC were enrolled in this study. We measured serum total fucosylated haptoglobin (Fuc-Hpt) and core-Fuc-Hpt levels using lectin-antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits that we developed. In these kits, total Fuc-Hpt and core-Fuc-Hpt were measured using Aleuria aurantia lectin and Pholiota squarrosa lectin, respectively.

RESULTS

Serum Fuc-Hpt levels were significantly increased in CP patients compared to HV (P < 0.0001) and were further increased in PDAC patients (P < 0.0001). Interestingly, serum core-Fuc-Hpt levels were significantly higher in CP patients compared to HV (P < 0.0001) and PDAC patients (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that total serum core-Fuc-Hpt was an independent determinant for CP diagnosis, but Fuc-Hpt was not.

CONCLUSIONS

A dramatic change in oligosaccharides was observed in serum haptoglobin between CP and PDAC. Serum core-Fuc-Hpt may be a novel and useful biomarker for CP diagnosis.

Redo Surgery After Duodenum-Preserving Pancreatic Head Resection for Chronic Pancreatitis: High Incidence in Long-Term Follow-up

INTRODUCTION

Duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection is a safe procedure with a more favorable short-term outcome compared to pancreaticoduodenectomy. However, some patients develop mechanical complications or suspicion of malignancy during follow-up and need reoperation years after primary surgery. Aim of this study was to evaluate incidence, techniques, and complication rates of redo operations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed short- and long-term outcomes of 33 patients who underwent duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection for chronic pancreatitis from 1997 to 2010 at our department from a prospective database.

RESULTS

Short-term outcome after duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection was comparable with previous data. Follow-up (mean 89 months) was achieved for 26 patients. Eight patients (30.1 %) needed a redo operation of which seven were performed. Indications were obstructive jaundice (four patients) and suspicion of cancer of pancreatic head (four patients; carcinoma confirmed in three patients). Mean interval between initial and redo operation was seven years for benign stenoses and 4 years for cancer. Three of seven operated patients needed revision.

CONCLUSION

Need for redo operations after duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection is high and these operations have high complication rates. In most cases, redo operations can be avoided by performing pancreaticoduodenectomy as initial operation.

Survivin expression and serum levels in pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis, is overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Its expression is known to be associated with poor clinical outcome. However, to our knowledge, there has been no study to characterize its usefulness as a serum marker for human pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, the relation between survivin expression and the serum level of survivin has not been widely studied in PDAC. We performed this study to investigate the expression and serum level of survivin in PDAC and its clinical significance as a prognostic factor.

METHODS

We performed immunohistochemical staining for survivin in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks from 80 PDAC tissues. The serum level of survivin from the patients (n = 80) and age-matched healthy volunteers (n = 80) were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) prior to surgical resection. Levels of expression were correlated with clinicopathological parameters.

RESULTS

Serum survivin concentrations were significantly elevated in patients with PDAC when compared with healthy sera (P < 0.001). High serum survivin levels were significantly associated with perineural invasion, venous invasion, lymph node status (N stage), cell differentiation, and recurrence but not with the tumor size, age, gender of the patients, or tumor location. The median overall survival time of the group with normal serum survivin levels was longer than that of the group with elevated serum survivin. The independent factors associated with overall survival were advanced pancreatic cancer and elevated serum survivin level. Of the 80 cases of PDAC, 65 (81.25 %) were positive for survivin expression. There were significant associations between survivin expression and perineural invasion, venous invasion, and lymph node status. A significant difference in overall survival was associated with survivin expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with elevated serum survivin level and high survivin expression at diagnosis demonstrated a poor outcome. Detection of serum survivin or tissue survivin expression may predict the prognosis of patients with PDAC.

Demographics, epidemiology, and inheritance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic cancer (PC) will affect 48,960 persons in the United States and will result in 40,560 deaths in 2015, according to the American Cancer Society. On a global basis, at least 337,000 persons will be diagnosed with PC. The incidence of PC has increased slightly in the United States, though worldwide cases are likely to increase substantially due to the influence of cigarette smoking, rising obesity and type II diabetes. The development of PC is related to a state of chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. Well-established environmental and personal risk factors for PC include advancing age, cigarette smoking, second-hand tobacco smoke exposure, obesity, inherited familial cancer syndromes, Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, chronic pancreatitis, dietary factors, and diabetes. Other identified associations are human immunodeficiency virus infection, ABO blood group polymorphisms, hepatitis B virus, and Helicobacter pylori.

Pancreatitis before pancreatic cancer: clinical features and influence on outcome

OBJECTIVES

Pancreatitis is considered a possible risk factor for and a presentation of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA). We aimed to evaluate a large PA patient registry to determine whether prior history of pancreatitis influenced survival.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the Mayo Clinic Biospecimen Resource for Pancreas Research database from January 1992 to September 2011. Data collected included demographic characteristics, history of tobacco or alcohol use, diabetes mellitus (DM), cholelithiasis, pseudocyst, and details regarding PA. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of PA patients with pancreatitis were compared with PA patients without pancreatitis history.

RESULTS

We analyzed 2573 patients with PA diagnosis. Among these patients, 195 (8%) were identified who had pancreatitis diagnosis ≥ 10 days before PA diagnosis. The cohort with pancreatitis history included more patients with DM (30% vs. 18%; P<0.001) and more smokers (68% vs. 58%; P=0.02). Compared with patients without pancreatitis history, these patients received diagnoses of PA at a younger age (63 vs. 65 y; P=0.005) and earlier stage (stages I and II; 52% vs. 37%; P<0.001). A greater percentage had history of surgery with curative intent (50% vs. 43%; P=0.001) and significantly better survival [median (range), 387 d (314 to 460 d) vs. 325 d (306 to 344 d); P=0.003].

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with PA and pancreatitis had more weight loss and DM, but had PA diagnosis at an earlier stage, were more likely to have pancreatic surgery, and therefore better survival than PA patients without pancreatitis, likely due to the earlier diagnosis. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether screening for PA in patients with pancreatitis history would provide survival benefit.

Pancreatic fatty degeneration and fibrosis as predisposing factors for the development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Knowledge of risk factors for development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is limited. To clarify the background condition of the pancreas for the development of PDAC, we analyzed pancreatic histological changes in noncancerous lesion specimens after pancreatectomy in PDAC patients.

METHODS

Seventy-six patients with PDAC were enrolled in this study. The PDAC was in the pancreatic head in 37 patients, in the body in 31, and in the tail in 8. No patients had a history of clinical chronic pancreatitis. As controls, 98 patients without PDAC were enrolled. The following parameters were examined: fibrosis, fatty degeneration, and inflammatory cell infiltration. More than 5% of fatty degeneration in the specimen, more than 10% of fibrosis, and more than 5% of inflammatory cell infiltration were considered positive changes.

RESULTS

Pancreatectomy specimens showed a higher ratio of positive change in fibrosis (86% vs 42%), fatty degeneration (72% vs 44%), and inflammatory cell infiltration (14% vs 3%) than control samples. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that each histological change was a significant, independent determinant for PDAC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that cryptogenic pancreatic inflammation with fatty changes represents an important predisposing factor for PDAC. Screening for subclinical chronic pancreatitis in healthy populations may enable the detection of PDAC at an early stage.

Chronic pancreatitis: A surgical disease? Role of the Frey procedure

Although medical treatment and endoscopic interventions are primarily offered to patients with chronic pancreatitis, approximately 40% to 75% will ultimately require surgery during the course of their disease. Although pancreaticoduodenectomy has been considered the standard surgical procedure because of its favorable results on pain control, its high postoperative complication and pancreatic exocrine or/and endocrine dysfunction rates have led to a growing enthusiasm for duodenal preserving pancreatic head resection. The aim of this review is to better understand the rationale underlying of the Frey procedure in chronic pancreatitis and to analyze its outcome. Because of its hybrid nature, combining both resection and drainage, the Frey procedure has been conceptualized based on the pathophysiology of chronic pancreatitis. The short and long-term outcome, especially pain relief and quality of life, are better after the Frey procedure than after any other surgical procedure performed for chronic pancreatitis.

Association between autoimmune pancreatitis and malignancy

Chronic inflammatory diseases are often associated with malignancy, and this phenomenon occurs even in the field of gastroenterology. For example, chronic pancreatitis has been reported to be highly associated with the occurrence of pancreatic cancer. However, the association between autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) and pancreatic cancer is still an unsolved problem. As AIP is associated with immunoglobulin G4-related disease, which causes a variety of inflammatory and fibrotic lesions, the association between AIP and total malignancies is also a matter of interest. Here, we discuss the association between AIP and malignancy. As for the association between AIP and pancreatic cancer, there is no conclusive evidence, although several reports have suggested that the relative risk of pancreatic cancer is high in AIP. Concerning the association between AIP and total malignancies, there are two reports from Japan. Neither report supported the idea that chronic inflammation in AIP caused the increased risk of total malignancies. However, one report proposed the possibility that AIP might develop as a paraneoplastic syndrome in some patients because many cancers occurred within 1 year of AIP diagnosis, and thereby concluded that patients with AIP were at high risk of having various cancers. The paraneoplastic syndrome hypothesis should be tested in future studies.

Mortality, cancer, and comorbidities associated with chronic pancreatitis: a Danish nationwide matched-cohort study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

We aimed to assess the risk of death, cancer, and comorbidities among patients with alcoholic and nonalcoholic chronic pancreatitis (CP).

METHODS

We performed a nationwide retrospective cohort study, collecting data from Danish registries from 1995 through 2010. We evaluated the prevalences and incidences of death, cancers, and comorbidities among subjects with CP (cases) compared with age- and sex-matched individuals (controls). In total, 11,972 cases (71,814 person-years) and 119,720 controls (917,436 person-years) were included in the analysis. Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS

Forty-six percent of the cases died during the follow-up period, compared with 13.0% of controls (mean age, 63.7 vs 72.1 y; P < .0001), corresponding to a HR of 5.0 for CP (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.8-5.2). Cancer was a frequent cause of death among cases (10.2%) and controls (3.3%). Cancer (particularly pancreatic cancer) was a frequent cause of death among cases; the HR was 6.9 (95% CI, 7.5-11.8). Alcoholic CP did not produce a higher risk for cancer or death than nonalcoholic CP. Cerebrovascular disease (HR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.4), chronic pulmonary disease (HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.8-2.1), ulcer disease (HR, 3.6; 95% CI, 3.3-3.9), diabetes (HR, 5.2; 95% CI, 5.0-5.6), and chronic renal disease (HR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.5-1.9) occurred more frequently among patients with CP, but myocardial infarction did not (HR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.8-1.0).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on a Danish nationwide cohort study, individuals with CP are at higher risk for death from cancer (particularly pancreatic cancer) and have a higher incidence of comorbidities than people without CP.

Inflammation to cancer: The molecular biology in the pancreas (Review)

Inflammatory responses are known to be correlated with cancer initiation and progression, and exploration of the route from inflammation to cancer makes a great contribution in elucidating the mechanisms underlying cancer development. Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a lethal disease with a low radical-resection rate and a poor prognosis. As chronic pancreatitis is considered to be a significant etiological factor for PC development, the current review aims to describe the molecular pathways from inflammation to pancreatic carcinogenesis, in support of the strategies for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of PC.

High-resolution magic angle spinning (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy detects choline as a biomarker in a swine obstructive chronic pancreatitis model at an early stage

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a progressive inflammatory and fibrotic disease of the pancreas which encompasses a variety of clinical syndromes ranging from mild to life-threatening complications. Metabolomics has increasingly been applied to identify biomarkers for disease diagnosis with particular interest in diseases at an early stage. In this study, we tested a swine obstructive CP model by subtotal ligation of the main pancreatic duct, and the metabolic profiles of the Bama miniature swine pancreas were investigated using high-resolution magic angle spinning proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HR MAS (1)H MRS) combined with principal components analysis (PCA). Increases in lactate and choline for mild CP and decreases in glycerophosphocholine, phosphocholine, betaine and glycine were observed from normal pancreas to mild, moderate and severe CP. PCA results showed visual separations among the groups. The increase of choline at an early stage of CP and the decrease of glycerophosphocholine, phosphocholine, betaine and glycine reveal the pathogenesis of CP at a molecular level. The MRS results presented here demonstrate the potential of metabolic profiles in discriminating a normal pancreas from different stages of CP, which may be used to achieve CP early diagnosis and timely intervention to prevent irreversible destruction of the pancreas.

Demographics and epidemiology of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer affects 44,000 Americans and at least 250,000 individuals worldwide annually. The incidence is slowly increasing after a recent period of decline. Cases are predicted to increase globally because of increased longevity and the widespread adoption of cancer-causing behaviors, such as cigarette smoking, dietary indiscretion, and a global increase in diabetes. Well-known risk factors for pancreatic cancer are advancing age, tobacco smoking, obesity, certain inherited familial disorders, second-hand smoke exposure, chronic pancreatitis, and diabetes. Associations with human immunodeficiency virus, ABO blood group, hepatitis B virus, human immunodeficiency virus, and Helicobacter pylori have also been identified.