— Christine M. Kukka, Project Manager, HBV Advocate
Two studies published in different medical journals both conclude
that HBV infection does not increase a patient's risk for pancreatic
cancer. Both studies were undertaken because prior reports suggest a
link between hepatitis B and this cancer.
Researchers, reporting in a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Gastrointestinal Cancer,
scoured all recent studies that examined hepatitis B and pancreatic
cancer (also called pancreatic adenocarcinoma.) Their analysis found a,
"nonsignificant increased risk of cancer" in patients who had been or
were currently infected with HBV. However they did encourage more
research into any possible linkage. (1)
The second report, published in the May issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology
compared hepatitis B and C infection rates in 585 Taiwanese patients
with pancreatic cancer with a group of healthy 1,716 people of similar
age and gender.
Both groups were screened for hepatitis C virus
(HCV) antibodies, hepatitis B surface antigens and antibodies, and
hepatitis B core antibodies, which indicate a prior hepatitis B
infection.
HBsAg, indicating a current hepatitis B
infection, was present in 73 cases in the pancreatic cancer group
(12.5%) and in 213 of the control group (12.4%).
Hepatitis C infection was positive in 22 pancreatic cancer cases (3.8%) and in 45 of the control group (2.6%).
Surface antibodies, indicating a resolved
hepatitis B infection or immunization, was present in 338 cancer cases
(57.8%) and 1,047 of the control group (61%).
The similar rates of viral hepatitis infection in
the cancer and the control group show there was no increased rate of
pancreatic cancer from hepatitis infection, the researchers concluded.
However, older age, male gender, diabetes and smoking did increase
pancreatic cancer risk.(2)
Source 1: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24788082
Source 2: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24803819
HBV Journal Review — June 1, 2014, Vol 11, no 6
Labels: pancreatic cancer risk
