Identifying early signs of cancer can go a long way in diagnosing cancer at an early stage and slowing down its progression. According to a forthcoming study in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers at Dana-FarberCancer Institute, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and other institutions, have identified some key signs of pancreatic cancer.
The scientists revealed that a surge in amounts of some amino acids can indicate development of pancreatic cancer Although the surge or increase wasn’t high enough to form the basis of a developing a new test for early detection of the disease, the findings may be helpful for researchers to better better the effect pancreatic cancer can have on the the body, particularly how it could trigger the sometimes deadly muscle-wasting disease known as cachexia.
For the study, researchers analysed blood samples that had been collected from 1,500 people participating in large health-tracking studies earlier. They assessed these samples for the presence of more than 100 different metabolites, substances produced during various metabolic process of the body. The results obtained from participants who had gone on to develop pancreatic cancer were compared to the results obtained from those who had not.
Brian Wolpin, co-senior author of the new study said they found that the higher levels of branched chain amino acids were present in people who went on to develop pancreatic cancer compared to those who did not develop the disease. The amount of time that would elapse before those individuals were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer ranged from two to 25 years, although the highest risk was in the several years before diagnosis, the researchers found.
He added that it helped them to hypothesize that the increase in branched chain amino acids was due to the presence of an early pancreatic tumor. The researchers found the increase was due to a breakdown of muscle tissue, which caused branched amino acids to be released into the bloodstream. The process was similar to what occurs in patients with cancer cachexia.
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What is Pancreatic cancer?
Overgrowth of abnormal tissue of the pancreas leads to pancreatic cancer. Most often the cancerous growth occurs in the surrounding layer of pancreatic glands (exocrine gland). Genetic mutation of pancreatic cells is thought to be the main cause of this disease. However, experts suggest that pancreatitis and diabetes could be the two major factors that may have a role to play in the onset of this disease. The cancerous tissues grow very rapidly in the pancreas without giving rise to any symptoms until it progresses to a critical stage. In later stages, several symptoms like upper abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin and eyes, loss of appetite, sudden weight loss and depression develop. For diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, CT scan and MRI scan may be required. Other techniques like endoscopy and tissue biopsy can confirm its presence. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and targeted drug therapy are the few current treatment options available for pancreatic cancer.
With inputs from ANI
Photo source: Getty images
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