Pancreatic cancer generally doesn’t receive a lot of publicity, but this very aggressive cancer was brought to the public mind with the recent death of actor Patrick Swayze.
Pancreatic cancer is treatable if caught early, however most are discovered too late. As such, fewer than five percent of pancreatic cancer patents celebrate a five-year survivor milestone. According to the American Cancer Society, it is the fourth leading cause of cancer related death overall.
As with any cancer, there is no smoking gun. A person’s lifestyle, age, family and medical history, and environmental factors generally are at play in determining one’s risk. However, recent studies have found that some common practices may dramatically increase the risk for pancreatic cancer. Here are some to note.
Don’t smoke. The risk of developing pancreatic cancer increases two to three times among smokers. About 30 percent of all pancreatic cancers are thought to be a direct result of cigarette smoking. A 2007 study conducted by researchers at Michigan State University and published in the International Journal of Cancer added to the body of research further linking cigarette smoking to pancreatic cancer. They found that the chemicals produced by the burning of tobacco products - polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs - interfere with communication between the body's cells. More importantly, their work showed that some of these chemicals don't necessarily initiate the cancer, but rather contribute to the promotion of it. Another study found smokeless tobacco also increases the risk of pancreatic cancer by 60 percent as compared to non-tobacco users.
Limit dietary fats. Men and women whose diets included high amounts of total saturated and monounsaturated fats, particularly from red meat and dairy sources, had 53 percent and 23 percent increased rates of pancreatic cancer, respectively, compared with men and women with a low fat diet. Overall, the research subjects who ate high amounts of saturated animal fat had a 36 percent higher rate of pancreatic cancer compared with those who ate low amounts, according to research publish online in August 2009 by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Avoid charred meats. A large US study conducted by the American Association for Cancer Research involving more than 60,000 participants found that a preference for meat cooked to a high temperature where it is burned or charred, for instance through frying, grilling and barbecuing, was linked to an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. In the study, participants who liked their steak very well done were nearly 60 percent more likely to get pancreatic cancer as participants who liked it less well done or did not eat it at all.
Maintain Good Oral Health. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that periodontal disease was associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. Periodontal disease, also known as Gum disease, is a bacterial infection and inflammation of the gums that over time causes loss of bone that supports the teeth. In the 2007 study of 51,529 U.S. subjects, those with periodontal disease had a 63% higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer compared to those reporting no gum disease.
Avoid overeating sugar. High consumption of sugar and high-sugar foods may be associated with a greater risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a 2006 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The study points out soft drinks containing high fructose corn syrup and or sucrose are the leading source of added sugar in the U.S. diet. Another study published in 2002 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that hypoglycemic and diabetic women, particularly those who were overweight and sedentary and who consume high amounts of sugars increased their risk for pancreatic cancer by 95 percent.
Maintain a healthy weight. American Cancer Society researchers found that being overweight or obese doubles a person's pancreatic cancer risk. This is especially true for people who tend to gain weight in their mid-section, compared to those who gain it in their hips and thighs, or evenly all over their body.
Avoid chemical exposure. Chemicals that have been used for decades in nonstick pans, food packaging, pesticides, stain-resistant clothing, upholstery and carpets and some personal care products may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. The two chemicals, perfluorooctanoate and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOA, PFOS) have been linked to cancer in animals in high concentrations but whether it contributes cancer in humans is still unclear. In 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency concluded PFOAs are a “likely human carcinogen". These chemicals have also been associated with low birth-weight babies, premature breast development in children and reproductive disorders in other studies.
Avoid daily alcohol intake. A daily drinking habit may modestly increase pancreatic cancer risk, researchers found. Pancreatic cancer risk was 22 percent higher for individuals who had two or more drinks a day than for nondrinkers, Stephanie Smith-Warner, Ph.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues reported in the March 2009 issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention.
Azsunshinegirl, aka Lynette Summerill, is an award-winning journalist who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. In addition to writing about cancer-related issues, she writes a blog, Nonsmoking Nation, which follows global tobacco news and events.