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

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...

STAGES OF PANCREATIC CANCER

There are mostly four STAGES of PANCREATIC cancer Stage I pancreatic cancer includes tumors which have not spread into certain proscribed sensitive areas and which have no involved regional nodes or distal metastasis. Stage II pancreatic cancer includes tumors which have spread into the duodenum, bile duct, or “peripancreatic” tissues AND which have no involved regional nodes or distal metastasis. Stage III pancreatic cancer includes tumors which may have OR may not have spread into these aforementioned areas and which have involved regional nodes, but which show no evidence of distal metastasis. Stage IVA pancreatic cancer includes tumors which have spread into the stomach, spleen, large bowel OR the adjacent large vessels AND which have involved regional nodes, but show no evidence of distal metastasis. And Stage IVB pancreatic cancer includes pancreatic tumors of any kind with node status of any kind AND with evidence of distal metastasis. For doctors and patients STAGES...

COMPLICATIONS OF PANCREATIC CANCER

As pancreatic cancer progresses, it can cause complications such as: Weight loss . Numerios factors may cause weight loss in people with pancreatic cancer. The cancer itself may cause weight loss. Nausea and vomiting caused by cancer treatments or a tumor pressing on your stomach may make it difficult to eat. Or your body may have difficulty processing nutrients from food because your pancreas isn't making enough digestive juices. Your doctor may recommend pancreatic enzyme supplements to aid in digestion. Try to maintain your weight by adding extra calories where you can and making mealtime as pleasant and relaxed as possible. Jaundice . Pancreatic cancer that blocks the liver's bile duct can cause jaundice. Signs include yellow skin and eyes, dark-colored urine, and pale-colored stools. Jaundice usually occurs without abdominal pain. Your doctor may recommend that a plastic or metal tube (stent) be placed inside the bile duct to hold it open. This is done with ...

Pancreatic cancer

Search This Blog