Pancreatic size in bone marrow transplant survivors

Bone marrow transplantation with total body irradiation (BMT/TBI) is used to treat high-risk leukaemia. Survivors are however very likely to develop impaired glucose tolerance, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease by mechanisms that are still unknown.

Wei et al. investigated insulin sensitivity, β-cell reserve and pancreatic volume in adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The results of their study shows that there is a significant reduction in both pancreatic size and β -cell reserve adjusted for insulin sensitivity in young adult survivors of childhood ALL treated with BMT/TBI. The authors thus indicate  that impaired β -cell function due to reduction in pancreatic volume may be a contributing factor, with reduced insulin sensitivity, to the risk of developing abnormal glucose tolerance reported in BMT/TBI survivors.

Read full study by Wei et al. (2015) titled “Reduced beta-cell reserve and pancreatic volume in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia treated with bone marrow transplantation and total body irradiation” Clinical Endocrinology vol 82 pp 59-67.

DOI: 10.1111/cen.12575