Hepatitis B May Increase Risk for Pancreatic Cancer

New research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by University of Texas scientists suggest a link between hepatitis B and pancreatic cancer.

Why is this important? Well, in addition to identifying a possible risk factor and thus, a way to prevent pancreatic cancer (which can be very difficult to treat), this study provides more evidence that viral hepatitis can affect more than your liver. It's about opening up the study of hepatitis to entire systems in the human body, not just one isolated organ.

The liver is fully integrated into the digestive system and is connected to several organs through ducts and vessels. Just as we know that problems in the liver may cause problems in the spleen, perhaps the pancreas is at risk, too. It makes sense, because they're all interconnected.

Of course, since this is just one study (and the first to study this association), more investigation is definitely needed. However, this can certainly give physicians and patients "a heads up" to a potential problem that should be monitored. If for nothing else, doctors can now be aware that treating someone for pancreatic cancer could depress their immune system enough to allow a previous hepatitis B infection, once under control, to become active. The study finds that some forms of pancreatic cancer therapy can apparently "reactivate" a previous hepatitis B infection.

For more information on this study, please follow these links to the press release and journal article.