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Caffeine in Coffee & Pancreatic Cancer

Aug 18, 2011 | By Helen Anderson
Caffeine in Coffee & Pancreatic Cancer
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Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States; it affects approximately one in every 71 adult men and women. Early research identified a strong connection between coffee consumption and pancreatic cancer. However, subsequent studies have not substantiated this association. As of 2011, it remains unclear whether the possible risk factor is coffee or its caffeine contents.

Pancreatic Cancer

The pancreas is an organ that lies horizontally across the abdomen behind the stomach. The pancreas plays an important role in aiding digestion and releasing hormones into the bloodstream. Pancreatic cancers are classified as either endocrine or exocrine tumors, and each has distinct risk factors and health outcomes. According to the American Cancer Society, the risk of developing pancreatic cancer is based on both lifestyle and hereditary factors, and may be affected by smoking, obesity, diets high in fat and red meat, alcohol consumption and male sex.

Evidence of Association

An early study led by Dr. Brian MacMahon of Harvard School of Public Health, published in the March 12, 1981, issue of the "New England Journal of Medicine," examined the relationship between pancreatic cancer and a variety of potential risk factors. The researchers found a significant association between the disease and coffee consumption among both men and women. The authors concluded that if this association reflects a causal relationship, coffee drinking may account for a substantial number of pancreatic cancer cases in the United States. The study did not address why coffee contributes to increased risk nor did it examine the possible role of caffeine in contributing to disease.

No Relationship

Despite the significant association identified in the 1981 study, subsequent research has not found evidence of a link between coffee and pancreatic cancer. Researchers from the Cancer Bureau in Ottawa analyzed epidemiological data from the Canadian Enhanced Surveillance System, including 583 cases of pancreatic cancer and information from 4,813 control subjects. The findings, published in the "European Journal of cancer Prevention" in February 2000, do not support a relationship between coffee consumption and pancreatic carcinomas.

A review of data from two prospective studies published in the May 2001 issue of "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention" similarly did not find any association between coffee intake and pancreatic cancer. The researchers from Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute also analyzed whether drinking caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee made a difference in cancer risk, and did not find that caffeine exposure affected the development of pancreatic cancer.

Caffeine for Treatment

While speculation has suggested that coffee plays a role in the development of pancreatic cancer, researchers have also investigated the potential uses of caffeine in pancreatic cancer treatment. However, as of 2011, studies examining caffeine combined with chemotherapy do not suggest that the chemical offers treatment benefits. A Wayne State University School of Medicine study appearing in the November 1999 issue of the "International Journal of Molecular Medicine" concluded that further research is required to understand how and why caffeine might be effective in treating pancreatic cancer, and its exact influence on cancer cells.

References

Article reviewed by Mary Bland Last updated on: Aug 18, 2011

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