The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is just 13%, and while smoking, obesity, pancreatitis and genetics are known risk factors, together they explain only 30% of all pancreatic cancers. So what is causing this aggressive disease and what can be done to prevent it?
Poor oral health—periodontal disease, in particular—also has been shown to be a risk factor. The researchers behind a cohort study published this week in JAMA Oncology hypothesized that the risk of pancreatic cancer could also be linked to poor oral bacteria and fungi.
Here are the key points that oncologists, primary care doctors and other physicians need to know, as reported in the JAMA Oncology study, “Oral Bacterial and Fungal Microbiome and Subsequent Risk for Pancreatic Cancer.”
Question: Is the prediagnostic oral bacterial and fungal microbiome associated with the subsequent development of pancreatic cancer?
Findings: In this cohort study including 122,000 individuals, three oral bacterial periodontal pathogens, an additional 20 bacteria, and four fungi were identified, which together conferred a more than threefold increase in the risk for pancreatic cancer.
Meaning: The oral fungal and bacterial microbiotas may serve as readily accessible, noninvasive biomarkers for subsequent pancreatic-cancer risk to identify individuals at high risk of pancreatic cancer.
AMA members can explore a range of peer-reviewed research and clinical information published by the JAMA Network™, which brings JAMA together with JAMA Network Open and 11 specialty journals. Published continuously since 1883, JAMA is one of the most widely circulated, peer-reviewed, general medical journals in the world. If you are an AMA member or interested in becoming one, learn how to access these educational materials and innovative tools.
Other notable findings in JAMA Network
Other notable findings in JAMA Network
“Disparities by Race and Ethnicity in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention,” published in JAMA Network Open. In this cross-sectional study examining racial and ethnic disparities in receipt of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, racial and ethnic disparities persisted throughout the care process.
“Obesity Treatment With Bariatric Surgery vs GLP-1 Receptor Agonists,” published in JAMA Surgery. The findings of this study suggest that metabolic bariatric surgery was associated with more weight loss at lower ongoing costs compared with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) in class II and III obesity. Further study is needed to determine if metabolic bariatric surgery should still be considered the last resort in treating obesity.
“Nicotinamide for Skin Cancer Chemoprevention,” published in JAMA Dermatology. The results of this cohort study suggest that there is a decreased risk of skin cancer among patients treated with nicotinamide, with the greatest effect seen when initiated after the first skin cancer. Nicotinamide is a vitamin B3 derivative that is sold as an over-the-counter medication.
Further explore the findings and implications of this study:
What AMA members get with JAMA Network
What AMA members get with JAMA Network
The subscription cost of JAMA is included with your AMA membership, plus unlimited digital access to all JAMA Network journals, including: JAMA, JAMA Network Open, JAMA Cardiology, JAMA Dermatology, JAMA Internal Medicine, JAMA Neurology, JAMA Oncology, JAMA Ophthalmology, JAMA Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, JAMA Pediatrics, JAMA Psychiatry, and JAMA Surgery.
The online journals include many helpful features for students, residents and fellows, including full-text PDFs, clinical challenges, archived editions, audio and video author interviews where authors give their perspectives on a study’s objectives, findings and implications.
There are several ways physicians can leverage resources from the JAMA Network to help them in their clinical practice:
- Take CME courses and earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
- Fulfill maintenance of licensure (MOL) and CME requirements on JN Learning™, the home for all JAMA Network CME.
- Read concise summaries of clinical guidelines and recommendations in a streamlined format designed for today’s busy physicians.
- Access one-page articles that present key facts in patient-friendly terms to support you and your patients.
