A recent retrospective observational study found compelling evidence of increased incidence of pancreatic cancer associated with the early stages of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The findings of the study were published in Lancet eClinicalMedicine.
This study recruited a staggering 4.6 million Japanese participants in 2005 with rigorous follow up of over a decade. The clinical data, prescribed drug regimens, and the presence of MetS using modified criteria from the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP/ATPIII) were meticulously analyzed. Out of the 2,707,296 subjects without pancreatic cancer at enrollment, 87,857 eventually developed pancreatic cancer during the 40.7-month average follow-up.

The incidence of pancreatic cancer was markedly higher in the MetS group (4.9%) compared to the non-MetS group (3.0%), with a statistically significant hazard ratio (HR) of 1.37 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34–1.39) after adjusting for age, smoking, and sex. Also, with increase in the number of MetS constituent factors from one to five, there was a corresponding rise in the incidence of pancreatic cancer which signify a dose-response relationship.
Also, the study extended its analysis to include pre-metabolic syndrome (pre-MetS) according to Japanese criteria and found a robust link between pre-MetS and the occurrence of pancreatic cancers. The findings strongly suggest a significant association between MetS particularly in its early stages, and the development of pancreatic cancer but, the study falls short in establishing causality.
This extensive study provides robust evidence to affirm the link between metabolic syndrome and pancreatic cancer. The finding that even the early stages of MetS are tightly correlated with pancreatic cancer underscores the importance of vigilant monitoring and intervention in individuals exhibiting the metabolic syndrome indicators.
Source:
Miyashita, Y., Hitsumoto, T., Fukuda, H., Kim, J., Ito, S., Kimoto, N., Asakura, K., Yata, Y., Yabumoto, M., Washio, T., & Kitakaze, M. (2024). Metabolic syndrome is linked to the incidence of pancreatic cancer. EClinicalMedicine, 67(102353), 102353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102353