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Dr Harsh Shah - GI & HPB OncoSurgeon
Dr Harsh Shah - GI & HPB OncoSurgeon

Fatty Liver Disease May Speed Up Pancreatic Cancer Spread

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Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease accelerates pancrea. DOI 10.1038s41392-025-02562-8

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers. It often spreads to the liver, making it harder to treat. A new study found that people with a fatty liver—now called MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease)—may face a higher risk of this happening.

Researchers looked at health records from hundreds of thousands of people. They found that people with MASLD were more than three times as likely to get pancreatic cancer. If they already had cancer, they were more likely to have it spread to the liver.

The reason? Fatty liver disease seems to create an environment in the body that helps cancer grow and spread. A protein called MIF (macrophage migration inhibitory factor) plays a big role. It helps cancer cells move and stick to the liver. These cells also have more of another protein called CD44, which helps them survive and grow.

In lab studies, blocking MIF slowed down how fast the cancer spread in mice. Human tissue samples also showed high levels of MIF and CD44 in people with both pancreatic cancer and MASLD.

This discovery is important. It shows how fatty liver disease doesn’t just affect the liver—it may also make other cancers worse. It also opens the door to new treatments that target MIF, especially for patients who have both conditions.

 

DOI: 10.1038/s41392-025-02562-8

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Dr Harsh Shah - GI & HPB Oncosurgeon in Ahmeadbad
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