Pancreatic cancer (PC) is among foremost causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide due to generic symptoms, lack of effective screening strategies and resistance to chemo- and radiotherapies. The risk factors associated with PC include several metabolic disorders such as obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Studies have shown that obesity and T2DM are associated with PC pathogenesis; however, their role in PC initiation and development remains obscure.
Several biochemical and physiological factors associated with obesity and/or T2DM including adipokines, inflammatory mediators, and altered microbiome are involved in PC progression and metastasis albeit by different molecular mechanisms. Deep understanding of these factors and causal relationship between factors and altered signaling pathways will facilitate deconvolution of disease complexity as well as lead to development of novel therapies.
The authors of this review focus on the interplay between adipocytokines, gut microbiota, adrenomedullin, hyaluronan, vanin and matrix metalloproteinase affected by metabolic alteration and pancreatic tumor progression.
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