Health status and pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Introduction: The Czech Republic ranks among the countries with high incidence and mortality of pancreatic cancer.

Method: The hospital based case-control study included a total of 529 people (309 pancreatic cancer cases and 220 controls). People in the study came from Olomouc, Ostrava, and Ceske Budějovice (Czech Republic). The relationship between health status (diabetes mellitus, chronic pancreatitis, cholelithiasis), use of medication (aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs), the family history (cancer in first-degree relatives), and cancer of the pancreas was studied.

Results: A positive statistically significant association was found in diabetes mellitus (OR 1.84, 95% Cl 1.12-3.03) and pancreatitis (OR 4.10, 95% Cl 1.43-11.81). A statistically significant inverse association was found in the use of aspirin (OR 0.33, 95% Cl 0.17-0.62) and anti-inflammatory drugs (OR 0.28, 95% Cl 0.12-0.65). No association between family history of cancer in first-degree relatives and pancreatic cancer was found.

Conclusion: Because no specific prevention of pancreatic cancer in the form of an effective screening program exists, it is necessary to pay attention to the factors associated with the disease, such as pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome, for early detection of pancreatic cancer.