Advertisement
Researchers Found A Surprising Pattern Of Fat Loss Before Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis
What if a CT could offer insights into a disease no one was looking for in the first place?
These scans capture more than organs; they also reveal the body's fat and muscle levels, which may change as health conditions develop. In a new study1 published in Pancreatology, Mayo Clinic researchers explored whether these changes could help identify people who would later develop pancreatic cancer.
About the study
Researchers analyzed CT scans from 1,825 people later diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common type of pancreatic cancer, and 3,650 people without the disease.
The groups were matched by age, sex, and diabetes status.
Using artificial intelligence, researchers measured muscle, subcutaneous fat (beneath the skin), and visceral fat (surrounding internal organs) over the three years before diagnosis.
They then tested whether changes in these tissues could help distinguish people with cancer from those without it.
Fat loss accelerated before diagnosis
People who developed pancreatic cancer lost fat beneath the skin and around their organs faster than those who didn't. Muscle loss followed a different timeline, accelerating only in the final year before diagnosis.
Researchers then tested whether these changes could help distinguish people who developed cancer from those who didn't.
The patterns were better at telling the two groups apart than age, sex, and diabetes status alone, with loss of fat beneath the skin emerging as the strongest clue.
While these findings suggest that tracking body composition could help researchers identify people who may need closer monitoring, the approach isn't accurate enough to diagnose pancreatic cancer.
RELATED READ: Ready To Improve Your Body Composition? This Can Help
Could routine scans help detect pancreatic cancer earlier?
Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect early. About 80% of cases are too advanced for surgery by the time they're diagnosed.
Current screening approaches largely focus on people with certain inherited genetic mutations or a strong family history, leaving many others without a clear path to early detection.
Analyzing existing CT scans for changes in fat and muscle could eventually help doctors identify people who may benefit from closer monitoring, without requiring additional imaging.
There are important limits, though.
Researchers looked back at existing scans, some taken close to diagnosis, so they don't yet know how far in advance these changes could offer useful clues.
The changes might also reflect cancer that's already developing rather than an early warning sign. The findings still need to be tested in an independent group.
What to do about unexplained weight loss
Losing weight without trying doesn't automatically mean something serious is happening. Stress, thyroid problems, other illnesses, and changes in diet or activity can all contribute. Here's what to do if you notice unexplained changes:
- Look for changes in your usual routine: Consider whether your eating habits, activity levels, or stress have changed.
- Pay attention to persistent weight loss: If you're losing weight without trying, especially alongside muscle loss, don't brush it off.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: Explain what you've noticed and when it started. Your doctor can assess possible causes and decide whether further testing is appropriate.
The takeaway
Your body's changing fat and muscle levels could eventually offer doctors another way to spot pancreatic cancer earlier.
For now, researchers have a promising lead to investigate, while unexplained weight loss remains a reason to check in with your doctor, not jump to conclusions.
