Editorial Team
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Editorial Team | Published : August 3, 2018 2:50 PM IST
Excess body weight may lead to pancreatic cancer. © Shutterstock
A high-fat diet promotes the growth of pancreatic cancer independent of obesity because of the interaction between dietary fat and cholecystokinin (CCK)-digestive hormone released by the small intestine. The hormone secretion gets further triggered by the fatty diet. However, according to a study, blocking a digestive hormone associated with obesity may help prevent the spread of pancreatic tumours to other areas in the body
Previous research has shown that obesity and high-fat diets both together and independently increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to IANS reports.
The researchers including Jill Smith from the Georgetown University in the US said,"Most patients with advanced pancreatic cancer succumb to the disease due to metastases; therefore a compound that blocks metastases, even when the primary tumour size is large, may have clinical significance."
"CCK [receptor] blockade may play a role in the treatment and prevention of pancreatic cancer," they added.
The study was published in the American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. During the research, the team fed one group of mice with a high-fat diet while the other half were given a normal diet. Then some of them were treated with proglumide -- a medication that blocks the digestive hormone.
The results showed that mice treated with proglumide had less tumour growth than the untreated mice, even when fed a high-fat diet.
Further, they found that among high-fat-diet-fed mice lacking CCK receptors did not show any tumour growth, suggesting that without receptors to bind to, increased CCK from dietary fat is unable to promote cancer.
The team explained that pancreatic growth and regeneration occurs through the interaction of CCK with CCK receptors, proteins that bind to CCK to produce a physiological reaction.
The researchers said that the proglumide treatment also protected the mice from the development of excessive fibrous tissue -- fibrosis -- that can be associated with cancer metastases and resistance to chemotherapy.
Image Source: Shutterstock
Disclaimer: The content on TheHealthSite.com is only for informational purposes. It is not at all professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for any questions regarding your health or a medical condition.