| It sounds like a terrible thing to say or even think, | | | | Before we get into how to help potentially |
| but say the two words "pancreatic" and "cancer" | | | | prevent pancreatic cancer, let's talk about why |
| to anyone and it strikes fear in the hearts of | | | | the pancreas is an important organ first. The |
| anyone diagnosed with the dreaded and deadly | | | | pancreas is actually a sort of "multipurpose" organ |
| cancer and their loved ones for the simple fact | | | | in that it secretes both hormones and vital |
| that it is known as the cancer with one of the | | | | enzymes that play roles in regulating digestion, the |
| lowest survival rates. | | | | secretion of insulin, and glucogen. |
| Granted, cancer of the pancreas affects a very | | | | Because of the roles of the pancreas, the |
| low percentage of the population, which is a good | | | | symptoms for cancer of this organ are relatively |
| thing given the purported survival rates of around | | | | vague and are often misunderstood as more |
| 5%, it is still a cancer to be reckoned with. And | | | | general maladies, and more like annoyances than |
| why is this form of cancer so much more deadly | | | | anything dire. Some of these symptoms include |
| than other forms? | | | | depression, jaundice, abdominal pain and loss of |
| Well the reasons are just the physiological | | | | appetite. |
| attributes of the disease itself, but also factored | | | | Many times there are no outward symptoms at |
| into the death rate is the fact that this type of | | | | all that would make it obvious to the sufferer that |
| cancer is not usually caught until it is already late | | | | something is seriously amiss. This makes it tricky |
| stage and too late for effective and aggressive | | | | to diagnose, and tricky to treat since it is usually |
| intervention that has chances of reversing the | | | | far advanced when finally found out. |
| damage already done. | | | | Now, let's talk about what you might be able to |
| Curiously, the pancreas is not one that is given | | | | do to help prevent pancreatic cancer from |
| much thought by most of us. We tend to think | | | | happening to you. Not coincidentally, you will find |
| more of our vital organs as being the kidneys, | | | | that the two major risk factors that have thus |
| heart, lungs, colon, and other organs that are paid | | | | been identified that are within your control to |
| a lot of attention in health education and common | | | | change also will likely increase your risks for a |
| knowledge. | | | | multitude of other types of cancers. One of them |
| But this truth may not hold much longer, since | | | | is smoking. Smoking can increase your odds of |
| pancreatic cancer has been in the spotlight as of | | | | developing this disease. The second it obesity. |
| late with public figures being diagnosed and | | | | These are both major contributing factors |
| treated for the disease. Patrick Swayze was | | | | suspected in a myriad of other types of cancers. |
| probably one of the most notable figures that | | | | Diets high in fruits and vegetables and low in red |
| came forward and publicly acknowledged his | | | | meats may help, and some holistic practitioners |
| struggles with this cancer. | | | | recommend the supplementation of digestive |
| Steve Jobs, the head of the very successful | | | | enzymes, especially when eating hard to digest |
| company Apple (if you've had your head buried in | | | | foods such as meats and some fats, to help |
| the sand for the past five years you may not | | | | preserve the vital enzymes produced by this |
| know that the iPod, iPhone and iMac were his | | | | organ. |
| creations), also was diagnosed with the disease | | | | Because exercise helps us maintain a healthy |
| several years ago and was then proclaimed to be | | | | weight and regulate our blood sugar, exercise is |
| cancer free, only to fall ill again recently for | | | | another recommendation that may help you |
| reasons not totally understood that may or may | | | | prevent pancreatic cancer, but as you can see, |
| not be related to a relapse of the illness. | | | | the people who have publicly announced their |
| Randy Pausch, who wrote the book I just | | | | struggles are all thin, which begs the question, |
| recently read entitled "The Last Lecture", and | | | | what's the common denominator, if any? |
| which almost certainly brings a tear to most | | | | Hopefully there will be better information on |
| people's eye, just passed away this past July, | | | | pancreatic cancer in the future and more clear cut |
| after a battle of a few years with this disease. | | | | guidelines about how we can prevent it with the |
| More recently, the first female Justice of the | | | | variables that are in our control, but right now the |
| United States, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was | | | | only three things, only two of which are in our |
| diagnosed with the cancer and underwent surgery | | | | control, are smoking, weight and genetics. My |
| for what doctors say is a very early diagnoses of | | | | hunch is that with the increased public interest in |
| the cancer. The reason the tumor on her | | | | this disease, there may be a lot more research |
| pancreas was spotted so early on was due to a | | | | poured into the prevention aspect as well as the |
| CT scan that caught it, which isn't the norm for | | | | treatments. |
| most people. | | | | |