Circulating gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase and risk of pancreatic cancer: A prospective cohort study in the UK Biobank

BACKGROUND: To determine whether serum gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) level is associated with pancreatic cancer risk in a large prospective cohort. METHODS: The study analyzed serum GGT concentration at baseline of 421,032 participants recruited in the UK Biobank since 2006 through 2010. Information on incidence of pancreatic cancer was obtained from cancer and death registers, updated until 2015 in Scotland or 2016 in England and Wales. Adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to measure the association between serum GGT and pancreatic cancer risk. RESULTS: The study identified 586 cases of pancreatic cancer over a median follow‐up period of 7.16 years. In the multivariable‐adjusted Cox model, serum GGT level was associated with 14% higher pancreatic cancer risk (hazard ratio (HR) per one standard deviation increment of log2 GGT level = 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–1.28, p = 0.025). In the total population, the HR for the highest GGT group was 1.68 (95%CI: 1.22–2.30) versus the lowest GGT group. The HR for the highest GGT group in men (≥50.2 U/L) was 1.72 (95%CI: 1.14–2.61) and that in women (≥31.6 U/L) was 1.75 (95%CI: 1.06–2.88) versus the lowest GGT group. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested a positive association of serum GGT in pancreatic cancer etiology, implying the potential of monitoring GGT level for identifying at‐risk individuals for pancreatic cancer.