The study was published in the November 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and showed that those who consumed the highest amounts of total sugars, fructose, and sucrose were more likely to have pancreatic cancer.

Previous studies linked high blood glucose levels with greater risk of pancreatic cancer. Researchers speculated that a high dietary glycemic load may be a risk factor for this disease.

In the study, U Nöthlings and colleagues analyzed data for 162,000 people participating in the Hawaii-Los Angeles Multiethnic Cohort Study in the hopes of establishing any association between glycemic load, dietary carbohydrates, sucrose, fructose, total sugars, and added sugars and the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Dietary intake was assessed at the start of the study using a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. All participants were followed for eight years and 434 incidents of pancreatic cancer cases were recorded.

No association was observed between glycemic load and added sugars and risk of pancreatic cancer.

However, total sugars, fructose, and sucrose were all linked with increased risk of the disease. Those who used the highest amounts of fructose were 35 percent more likely to have the cancer. A similar effect was observed with fruit and juice intake, but not soda.

Among those who were obese and overweight, the highest intake of sucrose was linked to a 46 percent increase in the risk of pancreatic cancer as compared to the lowest intake. The association was not significant among those with normal weight.

The researchers concluded that "High fructose and sucrose intakes may play a role in pancreatic cancer etiology. Conditions such as overweight or obesity in which a degree of insulin resistance may be present may also be important."

Another study led by MM Heinen and colleagues from Maastricht University found that there were no positive associations between the risk of pancreatic cancer and dietary glycemic load, glycemic index, or intake of carbohydrates and mono- and disaccharides such as sucrose.

That study involved 120,852 men and women. During 13.3 years of follow-up, 408 pancreatic cancer cases were detected. Similarly, all participants were surveyed for their dietary habits at baseline using a validated 150-item food frequency questionnaire.

The study, entitled Glycemic Load, Glycemic Index, and Pancreatic Cancer Risk in the Netherlands Cohort Study, was published in the April 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

By David Liu, Ph. D., and edited by Heather Kelley.
Jun 5, 2008 - 4:56:14 PM