Cancer is a condition which most people dread. There are certain types of cancer which respond very well to modern chemotherapy and have excellent chances of recovery. Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is not one of those cancers which is amenable to treatment. In most cases, the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer comes very late, when the disease has already progressed and involved the surrounding organs. This makes prevention a very important part of keeping oneself healthy. This article discuses the answer to the question how can I avoid pancreatic cancer.
To understand how can I avoid pancreatic cancer, the first step is to understand the risk factors for this condition. There are many factors that are associated with an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. The most important links start with smoking. It has been observed that smoking cigarettes is a very important risk factor which contributes to increased risk of pancreatic cancer. You will want to kick the smoking habit to ensure protection not just against pancreatic but also lung and oral cancers. Being obese or overweight also contributes to an increased susceptibility to cancer of the pancreas.
You should maintain the ideal weight for your age and height by embarking on a regular fitness program and sticking to a healthy diet. Diet may also play an importatn part as pancreatic cancer can be associated with diets which are rich in fats and meat.
Other factors which influence the answer to the question how can I avoid pancreatic cancer come from the family history. You have to check if your family has a positive history of pancreatic cancer. This might be among first or second degree relatives. There is also an influence of conditions like chronic pancreatitis. If you have a history of repeated attacks of inflammation of your pancreas, this increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer to a great extent. Some families have a predisposition to chronic pancreatitis and this factor must be looked into in detail.
One risk factor for pancreatitis itself and indirectly affeting the risk of deveoping pancreatic cancer is alcohol intake. There is clinical evidence to prove that alcohol induced pancreatitis is positively correlated with a higher risk of developing pacreatic cancer.Alcohol intake is also associted with liver cirhosis which has been implicated in the development of pancreatic cancer. Family history of genetic syndromes that can increase cancer risk, including a BRCA2 gene mutation, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, Lynch syndrome and familial atypical mole-malignant melanoma (FAMMM).
Age is another factor in the puzzling answer to what can I do to avoid pancreatic cancer. The older you are , the higher are your chances of developing the condition. But this is usually the case above to age of 70 years. The African - American population also has a higher chance of developing pancreatic cancer. The solution to this is to go in for regular check - ups to detect any abnormal cellular activity if you have any of the risk factors mentioned. This could be an annual health check up with special emphasis on cancer detection.
Pancreatic cancer is also an risk in case you are diabetic, so you must consult you doctor about risk factors in your family that could combine with your diabetic condition to develop pancreatic cancer. There is also evidence pointing to the long term exposure to chemicals like gasoline and its related compounds which increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Some insecticides have also been implicated in this.
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