A case-control study of pancreatic carcinoma

Abstract

The hospital records of 60 female and 56 male pancreatic cancer patients and 232 age-, race-, sex-, and hospital-matched controls were reviewed for evidence of prior thyroid disease, cholecystectomy, appendectomy, alcohol consumption and among females, for diseases for the endometrium and ovary. No statistically significant differences were detected between case and control groups. It may be of interest, however, that there were four patients with a history of thyrotoxicosis among the pancreatic cancer patients and only one in the control group. In females, a history of thyroidectomy was somewhat more common among the patients than the controls.

Use of alcohol, tobacco and coffee, and risk of pancreatic cancer

“…Previous reports have not agreed on the significance of this factor (Okuda & Ohnishi, 1981). Positive associations were found in some retrospective studies (Burch & Ansari, 1968;Ishii et al, 1968), but not in others (Haines et al, 1982;MacMahon et al, 1981;Wynder et al, 1973). From one study an association was reported with beer drinking only (Durbec et al, 1983 (Kahn, 1966;MacMahon et al, 1981;Wynder et al, 1973); see also Surgeon General (1979), although adjustment was not in general made for the same factors.…”

Gallstones, cholecystectomy, and the risk for developing pancreatic cancer

“…Results from case-control studies have been conflicting (Haines et al, 1982;Shibata et al, 1994;Ekbom et al, 1996;Coughlin et al, 2000), although some indicate a 30 -70% increased risk of pancreatic cancer in association with gallstones or after a cholecystectomy (Chow et al, 1999;Gullo, 1999;Silverman et al, 1999;Silverman, 2001). In the largest case-control study, Silverman (2001) observed a RR of 1.7 (95%CI, 1.0 -1.3).…”

“…The presence of gallstones, on the other hand, appears to be associated with chronic pancreatitis (Hardt et al, 2001), but whether chronic pancreatitis predisposes to pancreas cancer remains controversial (Lowenfels et al, 1993;Ekbom et al, 1994). Some of the earlier studies reported relative risks of pancreatic cancer of 1.2 -2.0 among individuals who had undergone a cholecystectomy previously (Haines et al, 1982;Shibata et al, 1994;Ekbom et al, 1996;Chow et al, 1999;Gullo, 1999;Silverman et al, 1999;Coughlin et al, 2000); however, the strength of the association remains uncertain because of the retrospective design of most analyses and the reliance on nextof-kin respondents. Prospective studies can overcome these limitations.…”

Cigarette smoking, elevated fasting serum glucose, and risk of pancreatic cancer in Korean men

“…30 Epidemiological studies from European countries and the United States have consistently shown that cigarette smoking is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, but the dose-response relationship has not been clear due to inconsistent findings among these studies. [18][19][20][21][22][23][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42] In addition, recent observational studies have provided consistent evidence for an association of diabetes with increased risk of pancreatic cancer. [27][28][29] To date, however, very few studies have analyzed the potential interaction between smoking and other risk factors, in terms of manifestations of pancreatic cancer.…”