7 causes of pancreatic cancer that you should know

Pancreatic cancer is not a very common cancer however you cannot ignore its severity. Often some genes are held responsible for this cancer. Moreover, even the risk factors stated by experts are also very weekly associated.

Debjani Arora | Published: October 12, 2018 2:31 pm

Managing weight could help reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer. © Shutterstock

What causes pancreatic cancer is unknown to the experts, scientists and oncologists. But there are several risk factors that can make one prone to this cancer. Pancreatic cancer is not a very common cancer however you cannot ignore its severity. Often some genes are held responsible for this cancer. Moreover, even the risk factors stated by experts are also very weekly associated. But one cannot ignore the fact that these risk factors do exist and cannot turn a blind eye to them. Here are some of the risk factors of pancreatic cancer:

Genetics: It is estimated that around five per cent to 10% of people with pancreatic cancer has an immediate family member who also had it. There are several different genes that have been associated with the increased risk, although scientists have not come to a particular gene that can be named as pancreatic cancer gene yet.

Diabetes: This is a disease that affects the pancreas the most. So it is no surprise that experts suggest the there is a link between diabetes and the overworked pancreas that could trigger the growth of cancer cells.

Smoking: Cigarette smoking is known to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. The more a person smokes, the higher the risk.

Obesity and inactivity: In a study of 88,000 nurses, it was seen that those who were obese (body mass index higher than 30) and were more likely to develop pancreatic cancer were the ones who did not exercise as compared to those who tried to be physically active.

Pancreatic cysts and chronic pancreatitis: People who have one or both of these are at higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

Diet: A diet high in fat and meat (especially smoked or processed meat) has been linked to pancreatic cancer in animal studies. Replacing junk and meat with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can decrease the risk significantly.

Lycopene and selenium: Studies suggest that low levels of these nutrients in some people could be a reason behind pancreatic cancer. However, there is no concrete proof of this.

Eliminating the risk factors for pancreatic cancer will not reduce the risk entirely. But eating a healthy diet, watching your weight and exercising frequently will improve overall health, and reduce exponentially.

Published: October 12, 2018 2:31 pm

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