A study conducted by scientists from Yale University School of Medicine, and published in the journal JAMA Network Open, showed that infection with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
Researchers analyzed data from 6.3 million patients and found that the risk of developing pancreatic cancer was 1.8 times higher in people with confirmed chronic hepatitis C virus infection compared to those with negative test results. They also noted that smoking and diabetes increase the likelihood of developing the disease by 20–30%.
Researchers emphasize that hepatitis C is a modifiable risk factor, meaning that expanding screening and early treatment can reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer. Modern treatments, which involve a short course of direct-acting antiviral drugs, allow for a cure in more than 95% of patients, but many cases remain undetected.
The research team also noted that patients who were exposed to the virus without developing a chronic infection had a slightly increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. The researchers pointed out that certain genotypes of the virus, particularly types 1 and 3, may be associated with an additional increased risk.
The team now plans to study electronic medical records to identify biomarkers that may predict pancreatic cancer years before diagnosis, potentially opening new avenues for prevention and early detection of this deadly cancer.
