scholarly journals Focal Parenchymal Atrophy of the Pancreas Is Frequently Observed on Pre-Diagnostic Computed Tomography in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: A Case-Control Study

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1693
Author(s):  
Shin Miura ◽  
Tetsuya Takikawa ◽  
Kazuhiro Kikuta ◽  
Shin Hamada ◽  
Kiyoshi Kume ◽  
...  

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) accounts for the majority of all pancreatic cancers and is highly lethal. Focal parenchymal atrophy (FPA) of the pancreas has been reported as a characteristic imaging finding of early PDAC. Here, we reviewed 76 patients with PDAC who underwent computed tomography (CT) between 6 months and 3 years before PDAC diagnosis, as well as 76 sex- and age-matched controls without PDAC on CT examinations separated by at least 5 years. FPA was observed corresponding to the location of the subsequent tumor on pre-diagnostic CT in 14/44 (31.8%) patients between 6 months and 1 year, 14/51 (27.5%) patients between 1 and 2 years, and 9/41 (22.0%) patients between 2 and 3 years before PDAC diagnosis. Overall, FPA was more frequently observed in patients with PDAC (26/76; 34.2%) on pre-diagnostic CT than that in controls (3/76; 3.9%) (p < 0.001). FPA was observed before the appearance of cut-off/dilatation of the main pancreatic duct, suggesting that FPA might be the earliest sign of PDAC. FPA was less frequently found in tumors in the pancreatic head (3/27; 11.1%) than in those in the body (14/30; 46.7%) or tail (9/19; 47.4%). FPA may predict the subsequent PDAC diagnosis, serving as an important imaging sign for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 776
Author(s):  
Robert Psar ◽  
Ondrej Urban ◽  
Marie Cerna ◽  
Tomas Rohan ◽  
Martin Hill

(1) Background. The aim was to define typical features of isoattenuating pancreatic carcinomas on computed tomography (CT) and endosonography and determine the yield of fine-needle aspiration endosonography (EUS-FNA) in their diagnosis. (2) Methods. One hundred and seventy-three patients with pancreatic carcinomas underwent multiphase contrast-enhanced CT followed by EUS-FNA at the time of diagnosis. Secondary signs on CT, size and location on EUS, and the yield of EUS-FNA in isoattenuating and hypoattenuating pancreatic cancer, were evaluated. (3) Results. Isoattenuating pancreatic carcinomas occurred in 12.1% of patients. Secondary signs of isoattenuating pancreatic carcinomas on CT were present in 95.2% cases and included dilatation of the pancreatic duct and/or the common bile duct (85.7%), interruption of the pancreatic duct (76.2%), abnormal pancreatic contour (33.3%), and atrophy of the distal parenchyma (9.5%) Compared to hypoattenuating pancreatic carcinomas, isoattenuating carcinomas were more often localized in the pancreatic head (100% vs. 59.2%; p < 0.001). In ROC (receiver operating characteristic) analysis, the optimal cut-off value for the size of isoattenuating carcinomas on EUS was ≤ 25 mm (AUC = 0.898). The sensitivity of EUS-FNA in confirmation of isoattenuating and hypoattenuating pancreatic cancer were 90.5% and 92.8% (p = 0.886). (4) Conclusions. Isoattenuating pancreatic head carcinoma can be revealed by indirect signs on CT and confirmed with high sensitivity by EUS-FNA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 439-439
Author(s):  
Daniel W Kim ◽  
Grace Lee ◽  
Colin D. Weekes ◽  
David P. Ryan ◽  
Aparna Raj Parikh ◽  
...  

439 Background: Chemoradiation (CRT) induced lymphopenia is common and associated with poorer survival in multiple solid malignancies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of lymphopenia in patients with nonmetastatic, unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) treated by neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX (5-fluorouracil [5FU]/leucovorin/irinotecan/oxaliplatin) followed by CRT. We hypothesized that severe lymphopenia would correlate with worse survival. Methods: The inclusion criteria for this single-institution retrospective study were: 1) biopsy-proven diagnosis of unresectable PDAC, 2) absence of distant metastasis, 3) receipt of neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX followed by CRT, and 4) absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) available prior to and two months after initiating CRT. In general, CRT consisted of 5FU or capecitabine and RT with 58.8 Gy over 28 fractions. Lymphopenia was graded according to CTCAE v5.0. The primary variable of interest was lymphopenia at two months, dichotomized by ALC of < 0.5/μl (Grade 3 lymphopenia). The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Cox modeling and Kaplan-Meier methods were used to perform survival analyses. Results: A total of 138 patients were identified. Median follow-up for the entire cohort was 16 months. Median age was 65. Fifty-six percent were female, 86% were Caucasian, and 97% had ECOG ≤1. Median tumor size was 3.8 cm. Tumor location was pancreatic head in 63%, body in 22%, tail in 8%, and neck in 7%. Median baseline ALC for the entire cohort was 1.5 k/ul. Two months after initiating CRT, 106 (77%) had severe (Grade 3 or worse) lymphopenia. While there were no significant differences in baseline patient or disease characteristics, patients with severe lymphopenia received higher doses of RT with longer duration of treatment compared to those without severe lymphopenia. On multivariable Cox model, severe lymphopenia at two months was significantly associated with increased hazards of death (HR = 4.00 [95% CI 2.03-7.89], p < 0.001). Greater number of neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX cycles received prior to CRT was associated with lower hazards of death (HR = 0.84 [95% CI 0.77-0.92], p < 0.001). The 12-month OS was 73% vs. 90% in the cohort with vs. without severe lymphopenia, respectively (log-rank p < 0.001). Conclusions: Treatment-related lymphopenia is common and severe lymphopenia may be a prognostic marker of poorer survival in locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Closer observation in high-risk patients and minimization of RT dose and duration are potential approaches to mitigating CRT-related lymphopenia. Our findings also suggest an important role of the host immunity in pancreatic cancer outcomes, supporting the ongoing efforts of immunotherapy trials in pancreatic cancer.


Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1052
Author(s):  
Iranzu González-Boja ◽  
Antonio Viúdez ◽  
Saioa Goñi ◽  
Enrique Santamaria ◽  
Estefania Carrasco-García ◽  
...  

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, which represents 80% of pancreatic cancers, is mainly diagnosed when treatment with curative intent is not possible. Consequently, the overall five-year survival rate is extremely dismal—around 5% to 7%. In addition, pancreatic cancer is expected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death by 2030. Therefore, advances in screening, prevention and treatment are urgently needed. Fortunately, a wide range of approaches could help shed light in this area. Beyond the use of cytological or histological samples focusing in diagnosis, a plethora of new approaches are currently being used for a deeper characterization of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, including genetic, epigenetic, and/or proteo-transcriptomic techniques. Accordingly, the development of new analytical technologies using body fluids (blood, bile, urine, etc.) to analyze tumor derived molecules has become a priority in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma due to the hard accessibility to tumor samples. These types of technologies will lead us to improve the outcome of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients.


2019 ◽  
Vol 149 (8) ◽  
pp. 1443-1450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donghui Li ◽  
Hongwei Tang ◽  
Peng Wei ◽  
Jiali Zheng ◽  
Carrie R Daniel ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Background Previous studies have found that meat-derived mutagens increase, and vitamin C or E decrease, the risk of pancreatic cancer. Objective The aim of this study was to determine whether intake of vitamin C or E modulates the association between meat-derived mutagen exposure and risk of pancreatic cancer. Design We conducted a case-control study in 1321 patients with pathologically confirmed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and 1061 healthy controls (aged 28–88 y). Cases and controls were frequency-matched by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Mutagen intake was assessed using a meat preparation questionnaire. Intakes of vitamin C, E, and other dietary components were assessed via a food-frequency questionnaire in a subset of 811 cases and 818 controls. ORs and 95% CIs were estimated in multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models. Results The risk of PDAC was not associated with meat intake but was associated with consumption of well-done grilled or barbecued chicken (OR: 1.57; 95% CI: 1.18, 2.09; P = 0.001). Intake of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline was associated with increased PDAC risk (Ptrend = 0.047). Participants in the highest, as compared with the lowest, quintile of 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (PhIP) intake experienced a 38% increased risk of PDAC (95% CI: 1.00, 1.90; P = 0.048). Intakes of total vitamin C or E from food and supplements or from supplements alone were each inversely associated with PDAC risk. Stratified analyses showed differential associations for PhIP intake and PDAC risk, such that risk increased among individuals with lower intake of vitamin C or E and decreased among those with higher vitamin intake. Significant interactions of dietary vitamin C, dietary vitamin E, and total vitamin E with PhIP intake were detected (Pinteraction = 0.023, <0.001, and 0.013, respectively). Conclusions Consistent with experimental evidence, this study of 811 cases and 818 controls has shown that high intake of dietary vitamin C or E mitigates the risk of PhIP-related PDAC.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao-Hui Chang ◽  
Siim Pauklin

AbstractPancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide due to delayed diagnosis and limited treatments. More than 90% of all pancreatic cancers are pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Extensive communication between tumour cells and other cell types in the tumour microenvironment have been identified which regulate cancer hallmarks during pancreatic tumorigenesis via secretory factors and extracellular vesicles (EVs). The EV-capsuled factors not only facilitate tumour growth locally, but also enter circulation and reach distant organs to construct a pre-metastatic niche. In this review, we delineate the key factors in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma derived EVs that mediate different tumour processes. Also, we highlight the factors that are related to the crosstalk with cancer stem cells/cancer-initiating cells (CSC/CIC), the subpopulation of cancer cells that can efficiently metastasize and resist currently used chemotherapies. Lastly, we discuss the potential of EV-capsuled factors in early diagnosis and antitumour therapeutic strategies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A1016-A1017
Author(s):  
Prateek Kulkarni ◽  
Reetobrata Basu ◽  
John J Kopchick

Abstract In 2020, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates 57,600 new cases and 47,050 deaths in the US due to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). A dismal 10% five-year overall survival rate in PDAC is attributed to late diagnosis, limited treatment options, a remarkably high metastasis rate, and resistance of this cancer to available therapies. Therefore, a better understanding of the mechanisms of how PDAC tumors acquire drug resistance and spread to distal parts of the body are necessary for developing novel therapeutic approaches. Exosomes, microscopic vesicles released from most cells (both tumor and non-tumor) have been recently established to play a significant role in cell to cell communication. Exosomes modulate their target cell responses systematically depending on the nature of exosomal cargoes (nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids). PDAC derived exosomes have been implicated to promote metastasis via forming a pre-metastatic niche of cells as well as enhancing drug resistance. Growth hormone (GH) secreted primarily by the pituitary gland promotes metastasis and drug resistance as shown by plethora of studies. No study has directly assessed the effect of GH on exosomal cargoes in terms of promoting metastases and drug resistance. In this report, we show that GH modulates various pancreatic cancer cell exosomal cargoes which in turn potentially amplifies tumor invasion and metastases. Our data shows that GH treatment on human and mouse PDAC cells increases the exosomal protein levels of TGFβ - a critical inducer of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT, a process leading to metastasis). In addition, GH treatment also increases extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes, MMP2 and 9, as well as multi-drug efflux pump ABCC1, ABCB1, and ABCG2 in PDAC cells. These results strongly implicate GH action in driving EMT and chemoresistance via exosomes in pancreatic cancer. Exosomes have a crucial impact especially in the areas of diagnostics and therapeutics. This report is the first to show that GH modulates the effects of exosomes secreted by pancreatic cancer cells. Acknowledgement: This work was supported in part by the State of Ohio’s Eminent Scholar Program that includes a gift from Milton and Lawrence Goll, by the AMVETS, and Ohio University’s Student Enhancement Award and Edison Biotechnology Institute.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francois Collin ◽  
Yuhong Ning ◽  
Tierney Phillips ◽  
Erin McCarthy ◽  
Aaron Scott ◽  
...  

AbstractPancreatic cancers are typically diagnosed at late stage where disease prognosis is poor as exemplified by a 5-year survival rate of 8.2%. Earlier diagnosis would be beneficial by enabling surgical resection or earlier application of therapeutic regimens. We investigated the detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in a non-invasive manner by interrogating changes in 5-hydroxymethylation cytosine status (5hmC) of circulating cell free DNA in the plasma of a PDAC cohort (n=51) in comparison with a non-cancer cohort (n=41). We found that 5hmC sites are enriched in a disease and stage specific manner in exons, 3’UTRs and transcription termination sites. Our data show that 5hmC density is reduced in promoters and histone H3K4me3-associated sites with progressive disease suggesting increased transcriptional activity. 5hmC density is differentially represented in thousands of genes, and a stringently filtered set of the most significant genes points to biology related to pancreas (GATA4, GATA6, PROX1, ONECUT1) and/or cancer development (YAP1, TEAD1, PROX1, ONECUT1, ONECUT2, IGF1 and IGF2). Regularized regression models were built using 5hmC densities in statistically filtered genes or a comprehensive set of highly variable 5hmC counts in genes and performed with an AUC = 0.94-0.96 on training data. We were able to test the ability to classify PDAC and non-cancer samples with the Elastic net and Lasso models on two external pancreatic cancer 5hmC data sets and found validation performance to be AUC = 0.74-0.97. The findings suggest that 5hmC changes enable classification of PDAC patients with high fidelity and are worthy of further investigation on larger cohorts of patient samples.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akimasa Hayashi ◽  
Jun Fan ◽  
Ruoyao Chen ◽  
Yu-jui Ho ◽  
Alvin P. Makohon-Moore ◽  
...  

SummaryRecent studies indicate that pancreatic cancer expression profiles are variable and largely reflect a classical or basal-type phenotype. We performed genetic sequencing, RNA-seq, and histologic review of multiregion sampled pancreatic cancers and found that squamous and squamoid features, indicators of poor prognosis, correlate with a “basal-like” expressional type. Cancers with squamous features were more likely to have truncal mutations in chromatin modifier genes and intercellular heterogeneity for MYC amplification that was associated with entosis. In most patients the basal phenotype coexisted with a glandular component, and phylogenetic studies indicated that it arose from a subclonal population in the tumor. These data provide a unifying paradigm for understanding the interrelationship of basal-type features, squamous histology, and somatic mutations in chromatin modifier genes in the context of the clonal evolution of pancreatic cancer.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2036
Author(s):  
Mirang Lee ◽  
Wooil Kwon ◽  
Hongbeom Kim ◽  
Yoonhyeong Byun ◽  
Youngmin Han ◽  
...  

Identification of prognostic factors is important to improve treatment outcomes in pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the location of pancreatic cancer on survival and to determine whether it was a significant prognostic factor. Altogether, 2483 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer were examined. Comparative analysis of clinicopathologic characteristics, survival analysis, and multivariate analysis were performed. Cancers of the pancreatic head or the uncinate process were present in 49.5% of patients. The head/uncinate cancers had more clinical T1/T2 tumors (59.4% vs. 35.5%, p < 0.001) and a significantly higher 5-year survival rate (8.9% vs. 7.3%, p < 0.001) than the body/tail cancers. The 5-year survival rate in patients with head/uncinate cancers was significantly lower in the resectable (p = 0.014) and the locally advanced groups (p = 0.007). In patients who underwent resection with curative intent, the 5-year survival rate was lower in the head/uncinate group (p = 0.046). The overall outcome of the head/uncinate cancers was better than the body/tail cancers, due to the high proportion of resectable cases. In patients who underwent curative resection, the head/uncinate cancers had a higher number of T1/T2 tumors, but worse outcomes. In the multivariate analysis, tumor location was not an independent prognostic factor for pancreatic cancer.


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