Glucose intolerance and the risk of pancreatic cancer

Mortality due to pancreatic cancer is increasing globally in most industrialized countries including Japan. The prognosis of pancreatic cancer is still extremely poor, despite various advances in diagnostic imaging techniques and medical treatment, and the 5-year survival rate remains less than 10%. Early detection of pancreatic cancer is essential for improving outcome, and identifying patients who at high risk is a major concern. Several reported factors can increase the risk of acquiring the genetic mutations that may potentially result in pancreatic cancer. Diabetes has the highest incidence among diseases that may be complicated by pancreatic cancer. In clinical practice, many cases of pancreatic cancer are diagnosed as a result of studies of worsening glycemic control. Glucose intolerance is a pre-diabetic state of hyperglycemia associated with insulin resistance and increased risk of both future diabetes and adverse outcomes. In the future, for early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer, we believe that it is critical to share consensus with diabetologists, and to perform adequate screening for pancreatic cancer in patients with glucose intolerance.