THE ESSENTIAL
- One in 10 women is affected by polycystic ovary syndrome.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome is caused by a hormonal imbalance of ovarian and/or central origin (in the brain).
- Between 8,000 and 10,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer are diagnosed each year in France. In nearly 9 out of 10 cases, it is discovered at a late stage.
The earlier pancreatic cancer is discovered, the greater the chances of survival. However, this tumor remains silent for a long time, causing symptoms only very late. Knowing the risk factors is therefore essential to improve the follow-up of the people most likely to develop one.,According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York), women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) need to be vigilant.
PCOS: a 1.9 times higher risk of pancreatic cancer
The researchers followed 446 women with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and 209 others with no signs of pancreatic cancer. They asked the volunteers if they had ever suffered from polycystic ovary syndrome.
The questionnaire revealed that 49 patients diagnosed with a pancreatic malignancy and 18 participants in the control group, had had PCOS in their lifetime. Hormonal disease is thus associated with a 1.9 times higher risk of pancreatic cancer after adjusting for taking estrogen therapy, BMI, ethnic origin and age. “The current study, which is the second of its kind to examine the relationship between PCOS and pancreatic cancer risk, confirms a strong association between these two diseases”conclude the scientists.
A metabolic dysfunction responsible?
The team from the American establishment specifies that polycystic ovary syndrome is not a precursor of pancreatic cancer, as polyps can be in colon cancer.
“We hypothesize that some of the underlying causes of PCOS may also contribute to pancreatic cancer”, says Dr. Margaret Mengmeng. The specialist and her colleagues suspect metabolic problems (such as the inability to process insulin) or even chronic inflammation.
“We were surprised to see that the association between PCOS and pancreatic cancer was not linked to obesity or diabetes. Therefore, we believe there may be another underlying metabolic dysfunction at work”add the scientists.
For them, their article, published in the journal JAMA Oncology, can help doctors to increase their vigilance vis-à-vis patients with this hormonal pathology. However, they recognize that further studies are needed to understand the biological mechanisms involved and confirm their results.