Serum neurotensin in human pancreatic cancer.

The role of neurotensin as a physiologic regulator of exocrine pancreatic secretion is known, but the hormone has only recently been recognized as important mitogen in vitro for human cancer cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the variations of serum levels of neurotensin in pancreatic cancer. We studied 58 patients: 13 control subjects, 20 pancreatic cancer patients, 11 chronic pancreatitis patients, and 14 cases of extrapancreatic disease. No differences were found between serum values of neurotensin in pancreatic cancer and control subjects or extrapancreatic disease. Significantly higher values were detected in chronic pancreatitis than in pancreatic cancer patients (P < 0.04). In chronic pancreatitis patients, the serum levels of neurotensin were correlated with serum amylase (r = 0.95, P < 0.01). Lower levels of neurotensin were found in stage IV pancreatic cancer than in stages I-II (t = 1.82, P < 0.04) and in grade II than in grade I (t = 2.21, P < 0.02). Significant correlations were found between serum levels of neurotensin and two indices of nutrition: albumin (r = 0.60, P < 0.05) and the percentage reduction in body weight (Z = 2.20, P < 0.02). No correlations were found between serum levels of the hormone and size of the neoplasm or the survival of patients. We can conclude that the serum variations of neurotensin do not seem to be related to the progression of human pancreatic cancer. The variation of serum levels of the hormone may be linked to a poor nutritional status of the patient.