Can We Prevent Pancreatic Cancer?

The pancreatic cancer presents no symptoms apparent. To avoid suffering from it, it is therefore essential to be checked regularly, to get rid of some of our bad habits, and to exercise regularly.

Today, pancreatic cancer remains a complicated disease because it does not show obvious symptoms in the early stages of its onset.

Nevertheless, there are some indicators and characteristics that are important to know, and that we will present to you in this article, so that you can benefit from an objective source of information on this subject.

Pancreatic cancer is the fifth leading cause of death in the world. Modern medicine continues to progress in the fight against this disease, to slow its progression and improve the quality of life of patients who suffer from it.

However, as we tell you in many other cases, even if it is impossible to 100% prevent the appearance of a pathology, the adoption of good lifestyle habits (whether dietary or not)  and frequent visits to the doctor, can make it possible to diagnose this disease in time, and to treat it.

Can pancreatic cancer be detected as soon as it appears?

First of all, you need to understand that the pancreas is located in a very deep region of our body.

Therefore, it cannot be palpated by a healthcare professional, and there are no reliable scientific methods (unlike breast cancer, for example) that can quickly detect the presence of a tumor in the early stages of its development. occurrence.

It is therefore common for pancreatic cancer to start and grow silently. Without showing any symptoms, until it disrupts nearby organs. Like the liver or the gallbladder.

All this means that at the time of diagnosis of the disease the patient is already in an advanced stage. Which will require a much more intense treatment than it could have been if the disorder had been detected in time.

Everyone who has surgery to remove part of the tumor has a better life prognosis than others.

However, it is important to remember that each person is unique, and that depending on our age or our state of health, the disease will progress more or less quickly. It is therefore impossible to establish a standard vital prognosis. 

We are going to see the most common symptoms that can be caused by pancreatic cancer:

• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss
• Jaundice (yellowish color of the skin and eyes)
• Bad digestions
• Vomiting
• Stomach aches
• Inflammation of the lymph nodes

Is there a hereditary factor?

According to various studies, there is a hereditary component to take into account in the diagnosis of the disease.

If your parents had pancreatic cancer, get tested regularly. However, the impact is only minimal.

Only 15% of patients who suffer from this disease have a family history.

This reminds everyone that it is important to consult a doctor frequently, and to do tests to detect signs of the occurrence of this pathology.

All patients who have suffered from hereditary pancreatitis have a very high risk of developing pancreatic cancer after the age of 70. If this is your case, keep that in mind.

Factors that can cause pancreatic cancer

At the moment, we don’t know the exact causes that cause pancreatic cancer.

But there is a series of risk factors that can be divided into two groups: factors related to genetics and factors related to behavior.

However, even if we do not know 100% the exact causes of pancreatic cancer, it is still advisable to control as much as possible the factors that are within our reach.

Consider the following dimensions:

Obesity

People who have a very high body mass index, who live a sedentary life and who consume a lot of fat, are more likely to suffer from pancreatic cancer than others. This risk is particularly increased in people aged 45 to 55 years.

How about improving your diet today, with the goal of reducing the fat that has built up in your abdominal area?

The tobacco

According to various studies conducted by the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, USA, 30% of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer followed the exact same bad habit: smoking cigarettes.

If you are a smoker, take this into account and stop this dangerous practice today.

The environment

People who work in conditions that confront them with chemicals are more likely to develop this disease than others.

If you work in the paint, fuel, or any other dangerous chemical industry, be very careful and take precautions.

Diabetes

According to recent studies, people who have diabetes are twice as likely to suffer from pancreatic cancer than those who do not have the disease.

It has been discovered that patients who present with any abnormality in glucose metabolism can develop this pathology between their 60s and 70s.

However, if you have diabetes, you should already be under the regular supervision of a doctor, who will monitor any damage to the pancreas. This factor can allow rapid management of the pathology.

How can pancreatic cancer be prevented as much as possible?

• Avoid smoking.
• Pay attention to your weight.
• Eat foods of organic origin, do without red meat, farmed fish, as well as foods high in fat and sugar.
• Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, especially those that contain vitamin C.
• Don’t hesitate to eat oats and easily digestible grains.
• Eat 6 meals a day, in which you will eat only small portions of food.
• Eat foods high in folic acid, such as green vegetables, avocados, strawberries, or peanut butter.
• Don’t drink alcohol.
• Do not consume dairy products.
• Walk half an hour a day.