I thank Dr. Mormile for her suggestion that our observed reduced risk of pancreatic cancer with aspirin use (1) might arise from downregulation of the antiapoptosis protein survivin (2). Survivin has been observed to be expressed by cancer tissue but not normal tissue (3). Its benefit for cancer prevention might therefore be somewhat limited.
After the publication of our aspirin article, a study has been published examining imaging-based morphologic changes in IPMNs (intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms), pancreatic cancer precursor lesions, with respect to low-dose aspirin use (4). That work suggests that aspirin use may slow the growth of such cysts. If this finding is substantiated, it would provide a mechanism underlying the reduced risk of pancreatic cancer that has been increasingly observed in the studies of aspirin use (1).
See the original Letter to the Editor, p. 978
Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest
No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.
RSS Feeds