Skip to main content

CAUSES OF PANCREATIC CANCER

 The causes of Pancreatic Cancer remain unknown.

It's not clear what causes pancreatic cancer in most cases. Doctors have identified factors, such as smoking, that increase your risk of developing the disease.
Scientists don't know exactly what causes most pancreatic cancers, but they have found several risk factors that can make a person more likely to get this disease. Some of these risk factors affect the DNA of cells in the pancreas, which can result in abnormal cell growth and may cause tumors to form.

Genetic factors


1- Approximately 10% of patients with pancreatic cancer have a family history of the disease.In some patients, pancreatic cancer develops as part of a well-defined cancer-predisposing syndrome for which germ-line genetic alterations are known.
2- The risk of pancreatic cancer is 57 times as high in families with four or more affected members as in families with no affected members. A subgroup of such high-risk kindred carry germ-line mutations of DNA repair genes such as BRCA2 and the partner and localizer of BRCA2 (PALB2).
Damage or changes in a person's DNA can lead to damage in the genes that control cell division.

Hereditary genetic changes pass down through a family. There is evidence that pancreatic cancer can run in families.



Other genetic changes happen because of exposure to an environmental trigger, for example, tobacco.

A person with certain genetic syndromes is more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.

These include:

hereditary breast and ovarian cancer  syndrome
melanoma
pancreatitis

Environmental toxins
Several environmental factors have been implicated, but evidence of a causative role exists only for tobacco use.
Substances that may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer include certain:



pesticides
dyes
chemicals used in metal refining
When the body comes into contact with a carcinogen, free radicals form. These damage cells and affect their ability to function normally. The result can be cancerous growths.

SMOKING AND OTHER FACTORS


Smokers have 6% increased risk and this increaseswith greater tobacco use and longer exposure to smoke.

 >Limited data with increased incidence is available on the possible roles of moderate intake of alcohol, coffee, use of aspirin, history of diabetes or chronic pancreatitis, chronic cirrhosis, a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet, and previous cholecystectomy.
> Morrecently, an increased risk has been observed among patients with blood type A, B, or AB as compared with blood type O.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FUNCTION OF PANCREAS

Your pancreas is about 6 inches (15 centimeters) long and looks something like a pear lying on its side.  It releases (secretes) hormones, including insulin , to help your body process sugar in the foods you eat. And it produces digestive juices to help your body digest food. The pancreas is an organ located in the abdomen. It plays an essential role in converting the food we eat into fuel for the body's cells. The pancreas has two main functions: an exocrine function that helps in digestion and an endocrine function that regulates blood sugar. Exocrine Function: The pancreas contains exocrine glands that produce enzymes important to digestion. Most endocrine function of pancreas to produce specific enzymes. These enzymes include trypsin and chymotrypsin to digest proteins; amylase for the digestion of carbohydrates; and lipase to break down fats. When food enters the stomach, these pancreatic juices are released into a system of ducts that culminate in the main pancr...
Post a Comment
Read more

PREVENTION FROM PANCREATIC CANCER

You can reduce chance to growPANCREATIC cancer by the following tips. STOP SMOKING . If you smoke, try to stop. Talk to your doctor about strategies to help you stop, including support groups, medications and nicotine replacement therapy. If you don't smoke, don't start.It is best tips to prevent PANCREATIC cancer. MAINTAIN WEIGHT . If you are at a healthy weight, work to maintain it. If you need to lose weight, aim for a slow, steady weight loss — 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week. Combine daily exercise with a diet rich in vegetables, fruit and whole grains with smaller portions to help you lose weight. Choose a healthy diet. A diet full of colorful fruits and vegetables and whole grains may help reduce your risk of cancer. In some cases PANCREATIC cancer may be genetic. Consider meeting with a genetic counselor if you have a family history of pancreatic cancer. He or she can review your family health history with you and determine whether you might be...
Post a Comment
Read more

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF PANCREATIC CANCER

Pancreas is very lmportant digestive organ. Pancreatic cancer begins in the  tissues of your pancreas — an organ in your abdomen that lies horizontally behind the lower part of your stomach. Your pancreas releases enzymes that aid digestion and hormones that help manage your blood sugar. Enzymes, or digestive juices, are secreted by the pancreas into the small intestine. There, it continues breaking down food that has left the stomach. The pancreas also produces the hormone insulin and secretes it into the bloodstream, where it regulates the body's glucose or sugar level. The pancreas is a mixed gland, having both an endocrine and an exocrine function. As an endocrine gland, it secretes into the blood several important hormones, including insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, and pancreatic polypeptide. Pancreatic cancer specially spreads rapidly to nearby organs. It is seldom detected in its early stages. But for people with pancreatic cysts or a family history of pancrea...
Post a Comment
Read more