Analysis of association between vitamin D metabolite concentration in blood plasma and pancreatic cancer. Experience of one center

Abstract

Introduction. An early detection of malignant neoplasms is of great practical importance for improvement of treatment results. Objective. To analyze the levels of dehydrocholecalciferol in patients with different forms of malignant neoplasms of the pancreas and chronic pancrestitis. Materials and methods. The cohort study enclosed the data from 160 patients, who were examined and treated in the Academician A.M. Granov Russian Scientific Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies for the period from 2018 to 2022. The main group included 89 patients with morphologically confirmed diagnosis of the pancreatic cancer without metastases. The control group included 71 patient with the confirmed diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. Vitamin D concentration was controlled prior to treatment. Results. The size of the tumor node with the location of pathological process in the head of the pancreas varied from 2.1 to 6.3 cm. In the subgroup of patients with tumor lesion of the head of the pancreas, decompression of biliary ducts due to mechanical jaundice was implemented in 43 (82.6 %) persons. When comparing the indicators of 25(ОН)D concentration, in 36 (69.2 %) patients of the main group, different degrees of fall of vitamin D concentration in blood plasma were found. Most often a pronounced deficit of vitamin D was diagnosed in patients with the tumor localized in the head of the pancreas (8 (15.9 % patients). Out of 37 patients with localization of the tumor node in the body/tail, 25 (67.5 %) persons demonstrated normal values of blood plasma vitamin D and 12 (13.4 %) different degrees of decrease in vitamin D concentration. A marked deficit of vitamin D was diagnosed in 2 (16.6 %) patients, deficit of vitamin D in 7 (58.3 %), insufficiency in 3 (25 %). In the control group, decrease in vitamin D level was determine in 12 (16.9 %) patients. An apparent deficit of vitamin D was diagnosed in 3 (4.2 %) patients, deficit of vitamin D in 4 (5.6 %), and insufficiency of vitamin D in 7 (9.8 %); normal values were registered in 57 (80.2 %) persons. Conclusions. Taking into account the obtained data regarding a reliable association between the deficit and insufficiency of vitamin D and the cancer of the head of the pancreas as well as literature data, it is worthwhile to use this indicator as a marker of early detection of pancreatic cancer in risk group patients.