Combining genetic and non-genetic factors to predict the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with new-onset diabetes mellitus

Abstract Background Recent research suggests that new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) often results from pancreatic cancer (PC) rather than causing it. Determining if NODM is type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or PC-related NODM (NODM-PC) aids in the early diagnosis of PC. We developed a NODM-PC risk pr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yu Zhou, Zhuo Wu, Liangtang Zeng, Rufu Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:BMC Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04048-4
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849699455536726016
author Yu Zhou
Zhuo Wu
Liangtang Zeng
Rufu Chen
author_facet Yu Zhou
Zhuo Wu
Liangtang Zeng
Rufu Chen
author_sort Yu Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Recent research suggests that new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) often results from pancreatic cancer (PC) rather than causing it. Determining if NODM is type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or PC-related NODM (NODM-PC) aids in the early diagnosis of PC. We developed a NODM-PC risk prediction model to stratify PC risk in patients with NODM. Methods This study utilized data from the UK Biobank, including 238 NODM-PC cases and 14,825 cancer-free T2DM controls. Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for PC and T2DM were constructed using previously reported single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) separately, while the NODM-PC PRS was developed by combining SNPs from both. Non-genetic factors were selected as candidate predictors based on prior NODM-PC prediction models. We developed three Cox models to estimate the risk of PC diagnosis within 3 years in the NODM population and evaluated them by internal–external cross-validation. Results Elevated NODM-PC PRS and PC PRS scores positively correlated with NODM-PC risk, while T2DM PRS showed an inverse correlation. The NODM-PC PRS achieved the highest AUC at 0.719. Three Cox models were developed: Model 1 included age at T2DM diagnosis, smoking status, HbA1c, PC PRS, and T2DM PRS; Model 2 replaced PC and T2DM PRS with NODM-PC PRS; Model 3 included only non-genetic factors. Model 2 had the highest discrimination (Harrell’s C-index 0.823 (95% CI: 0.806–0.840)), demonstrated the best clinical utility with good calibration, and showed significant classification improvement (continuous net reclassification index: 26.89% and 31.93% for cases, 28.51% and 30.90% for controls, compared to Models 1 and 3). The positive predictive value for the top 1% predicted risk in Model 2 was 13.25%. Conclusions This NODM-PC PRS enhances NODM-PC risk prediction, efficiently identifies individuals at high risk for PC screening, and improves PC screening efficiency at the population level among NODM individuals.
format Article
id doaj-art-cf7b33c4aaf443dca7d64c3f381d78e4
institution DOAJ
issn 1741-7015
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Medicine
spelling doaj-art-cf7b33c4aaf443dca7d64c3f381d78e42025-08-20T03:18:34ZengBMCBMC Medicine1741-70152025-04-0123111110.1186/s12916-025-04048-4Combining genetic and non-genetic factors to predict the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with new-onset diabetes mellitusYu Zhou0Zhuo Wu1Liangtang Zeng2Rufu Chen3Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical UniversityDepartment of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical UniversityDepartment of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical UniversityDepartment of Pancreatic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical UniversityAbstract Background Recent research suggests that new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) often results from pancreatic cancer (PC) rather than causing it. Determining if NODM is type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or PC-related NODM (NODM-PC) aids in the early diagnosis of PC. We developed a NODM-PC risk prediction model to stratify PC risk in patients with NODM. Methods This study utilized data from the UK Biobank, including 238 NODM-PC cases and 14,825 cancer-free T2DM controls. Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for PC and T2DM were constructed using previously reported single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) separately, while the NODM-PC PRS was developed by combining SNPs from both. Non-genetic factors were selected as candidate predictors based on prior NODM-PC prediction models. We developed three Cox models to estimate the risk of PC diagnosis within 3 years in the NODM population and evaluated them by internal–external cross-validation. Results Elevated NODM-PC PRS and PC PRS scores positively correlated with NODM-PC risk, while T2DM PRS showed an inverse correlation. The NODM-PC PRS achieved the highest AUC at 0.719. Three Cox models were developed: Model 1 included age at T2DM diagnosis, smoking status, HbA1c, PC PRS, and T2DM PRS; Model 2 replaced PC and T2DM PRS with NODM-PC PRS; Model 3 included only non-genetic factors. Model 2 had the highest discrimination (Harrell’s C-index 0.823 (95% CI: 0.806–0.840)), demonstrated the best clinical utility with good calibration, and showed significant classification improvement (continuous net reclassification index: 26.89% and 31.93% for cases, 28.51% and 30.90% for controls, compared to Models 1 and 3). The positive predictive value for the top 1% predicted risk in Model 2 was 13.25%. Conclusions This NODM-PC PRS enhances NODM-PC risk prediction, efficiently identifies individuals at high risk for PC screening, and improves PC screening efficiency at the population level among NODM individuals.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04048-4Pancreatic cancerNew-onset diabetes mellitusPolygenic risk scoresNon-genetic factors
spellingShingle Yu Zhou
Zhuo Wu
Liangtang Zeng
Rufu Chen
Combining genetic and non-genetic factors to predict the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with new-onset diabetes mellitus
BMC Medicine
Pancreatic cancer
New-onset diabetes mellitus
Polygenic risk scores
Non-genetic factors
title Combining genetic and non-genetic factors to predict the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with new-onset diabetes mellitus
title_full Combining genetic and non-genetic factors to predict the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with new-onset diabetes mellitus
title_fullStr Combining genetic and non-genetic factors to predict the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with new-onset diabetes mellitus
title_full_unstemmed Combining genetic and non-genetic factors to predict the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with new-onset diabetes mellitus
title_short Combining genetic and non-genetic factors to predict the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with new-onset diabetes mellitus
title_sort combining genetic and non genetic factors to predict the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with new onset diabetes mellitus
topic Pancreatic cancer
New-onset diabetes mellitus
Polygenic risk scores
Non-genetic factors
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04048-4
work_keys_str_mv AT yuzhou combininggeneticandnongeneticfactorstopredicttheriskofpancreaticcancerinpatientswithnewonsetdiabetesmellitus
AT zhuowu combininggeneticandnongeneticfactorstopredicttheriskofpancreaticcancerinpatientswithnewonsetdiabetesmellitus
AT liangtangzeng combininggeneticandnongeneticfactorstopredicttheriskofpancreaticcancerinpatientswithnewonsetdiabetesmellitus
AT rufuchen combininggeneticandnongeneticfactorstopredicttheriskofpancreaticcancerinpatientswithnewonsetdiabetesmellitus