Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly cancers.  In fact, it is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

According to Harvard research findings, gum disease may increase the risk of developing this deadly cancer.

Dr. Dominique S. Michaud of Harvard School of Public Health, Boston and his colleagues had analyzed 16 years of data from nearly 52,000 male doctors in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.  This team is investigating the relationship between lifestyles and cancer.

A total of 216 men who develped pancreatic cancer were studied.  After clearing out factors like smoking, diabetes, obesity, physical activity, diet etc, men with a history of gum disease were found to have a 63-percent higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer as compared to men without periodontal disease.

Two previous studies have already reported positive associations between periodontitis (inflammation of the gums around the teeth) and other chronic diseases.

Periodontal disease may boost the risk of pancreatic cancer through “plausible mechanisms,” Michaud points out.

This type of gum disease results in chronic inflammation (infection) that leads to tooth loss.

People with gum disease harbor high levels of harmful bacteria in their mouths and guts.  These people also tend to have higher amounts of nitrosamines, which have been proposed to increase pancreatic cancer risk.

Although the risk was not as high as those with existing periodontal infections, people who lost teeth also showed an increased risk for pancreatic cancer.

Men who reported a history of peridontal disease and tooth loss in the last four years showed a more than 2.5 fold increase in the risk of developing pancreatic cancer as compared to those who reported no history of periodontal disease.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly cancers, largely because it escapes detection until it has spread to other parts.  Only about five percent of pancreatic cancer patients survive the first five years after being disagnosed.

More than 30,000 Americans are expected to die from pancreatic cancer this year.

Gingivitis. Notice the gums are red and swollen

Moderate periodontal disease: notice the accumulation of calculus around the gumline. The gums are red, swollen and tender.