Gum Disease, Pancreatic Cancer Link Seen

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"People with periodontal disease have higher levels of blood levels of C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker that has been associated with heart disease," Michaud said. "Periodontal disease is also linked to heart disease in some studies." The inflammation may somehow contribute to the promotion of cancer cells, she added.

The men in the study had severe gum disease, the type that can lead to tooth loss, she noted.

Dr. Eva Schernhammer, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who was not involved in the study, said the results were intriguing.

"Pancreatic cancer is one of those diseases we don't know much about," she said. "Once you get it, the survival is very low."

This research "confirms that inflammation may play an important role in pancreatic cancer," she said.

According to Michaud, the findings should also "give consumers one more reason to really take care of their teeth and their oral health. I think that's really the message, even though we aren't sure this is a causal association."

Even so, she added, "people with severe periodontal disease shouldn't be worrying they are going to get pancreatic cancer. It is a horrible disease, but it is rare."

According to the American Cancer Society, 33,730 Americans got pancreatic cancer in 2006 and more than 32,000 died from it.

More information

To learn more about pancreatic cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.