A prospective analysis of telomere length and pancreatic cancer in the alpha‐tocopherol beta‐carotene cancer (ATBC) prevention study

Smoking and diabetes, consistent risk factors for pancreatic cancer, are also factors that influence telomere length maintenance. To test whether telomere length is associated with pancreatic cancer risk, we conducted a nested case–control study in the Alpha‐Tocopherol, Beta‐Carotene Cancer Preventi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of cancer 2013-12, Vol.133 (11), p.2672-2680
Main Authors: Lynch, Shannon M., Major, Jacqueline M., Cawthon, Richard, Weinstein, Stephanie J., Virtamo, Jarmo, Lan, Qing, Rothman, Nathaniel, Albanes, Demetrius, Stolzenberg‐Solomon, Rachael Z.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
alpha-Tocopherol - administration & dosage
beta Carotene - administration & dosage
Biological and medical sciences
biomarker
Cancer
Case-Control Studies
Confidence intervals
Disease prevention
epidemiology
Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen
Humans
Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas
Logistic Models
Male
Medical research
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Multiple tumors. Solid tumors. Tumors in childhood (general aspects)
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic Neoplasms - epidemiology
Pancreatic Neoplasms - etiology
Pancreatic Neoplasms - genetics
Pancreatic Neoplasms - pathology
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Smoking - adverse effects
Telomerase
Telomere Homeostasis - drug effects
Telomere Homeostasis - genetics
telomere length
Tumors
Vitamin A
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Summary:Smoking and diabetes, consistent risk factors for pancreatic cancer, are also factors that influence telomere length maintenance. To test whether telomere length is associated with pancreatic cancer risk, we conducted a nested case–control study in the Alpha‐Tocopherol, Beta‐Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study cohort of male smokers, aged 50–69 years at baseline. Between 1992 and 2004, 193 incident cases of pancreatic adenocarcinoma occurred (mean follow‐up from blood draw: 6.3 years) among participants with whole blood samples available for telomere length assays. For these cases and 660 controls, we calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals using unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for age, number of years smoked regularly, and history of diabetes mellitus. Telomere length was categorized into quartiles (shortest to longest) and analyzed as both a categorical and a continuous normal variable (reported per 0.2 unit increase in telomere length). All statistical tests were two‐sided. Longer telomere length was significantly associated with increased pancreatic cancer risk (continuous OR = 1.26 95% CI = 1.09–1.46; highest quartile compared to lowest, OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.01–2.43, p‐trend = 0.007). This association remained for subjects diagnosed within the first five years of blood draw (continuous OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.19–1.79 highest quartile OR = 2.92, 95% CI = 1.47–5.77, p‐trend = 0.002), but not those diagnosed greater than five years after blood draw (continuous OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.85–1.22; highest quartile OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 0.60–1.79). This is the first prospective study to suggest an association between longer blood leukocyte telomere length and increased pancreatic cancer risk. What's new? This is the first prospective study to examine the association between blood leukocyte telomere length and pancreatic cancer. In tumor, longer telomeres have been observed in advanced pancreatic cancer and risk factors for pancreatic cancer (cigarette smoke and diabetes) are known to affect telomere length. Based on a nested case‐control study in the Alpha‐Tocopherol, Beta‐Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study cohort of male smokers, here the authors found that longer blood leukocyte telomeres were significantly associated with increased pancreatic cancer risk. The results add insight into the role of telomeres in pancreatic cancer, a disease that can benefit from the identification of early detection markers.
ISSN:0020-7136
1097-0215
DOI:10.1002/ijc.28272