Tooth count may predict survival after pancreatic cancer surgery
A study from Hiroshima University suggests that the number of natural teeth a patient has may be a predictor of survival outcomes following pancreatic cancer surgery. The research highlights a potential link between oral health, periodontal pathogens, and cancer prognosis.
Why it matters
This finding could help clinicians better assess surgical risks and long-term prognosis for pancreatic cancer patients.
Researchers at Hiroshima University have found that the number of natural teeth a person has may provide useful clues about long-term survival after surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Oral health has long been connected with broader health outcomes, and previous research has linked poor dental health with prognosis in colorectal and esophageal cancers. Earlier studies have also found connections between oral health and complications after surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the deadliest forms of cancer.
The Hiroshima University team set out to determine whether oral health was also associated with how long patients survived after undergoing resection, the surgical removal of all or part of an organ, for PDAC.
The findings were published in the Journal of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Sciences .
Oral Health and Pancreatic Cancer Survival
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