Chen WCY, et al. - Researchers assessed the link between total serum cholesterol (TSC) and pancreatic cancer risk independent of statins. According to findings, short-term risk for pancreatic cancer was significantly predicted by TSC. They noted that, this risk increase related to lower TSC was independent of statins.

Methods

• This was a nested case–control analysis.
• Participants were statin-naïve patients within The Health Improvement Network (THIN), a United Kingdom–based general practice database.
• Subjects >40 years old and diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after at least 6 months of follow-up were considered cases.
• Using incidence density sampling, controls were selected and were matched by age, sex, practice site, and follow-up.
• Primary exposure was TSC (mmol/L) prior to index date.
• Researchers estimated ORs for pancreatic cancer risk related to TSC, by using conditional logistic regression.
• They also performed sensitivity analyses including nondiabetics.

Results

• This study included 1,241 cases and 3,307 matched controls.
• Per mmol/L increase in TSC, an average 8% reduction in pancreatic cancer risk was observed [OR 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.85–1.00; nondiabetics: OR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.83–0.99].
• The estimated OR between TSC and pancreatic cancer was 0.88 at 0 to 12 months (95% CI: 0.77–1.00; nondiabetics: OR 0.81, 95% CI: 0.68–0.96) on measuring TSC at 12-month intervals before diagnosis.
• Findings revealed no significant association at subsequent discrete intervals before index date.