It is predicted that pancreatic cancer might become the second leading cause of cancer death by 2030. This type of cancer is very difficult to defeat, preventive measures can help you reduce the risk of occurrence.
In France, the incidence of pancreatic cancer doubled in men and tripled in women between 1982 and 2012. It represents the 4th cause of death from cancer, both in men and in women. Of all cancers, pancreatic cancer has the lowest 5-year survival rate (< 5%), with the majority of patients dying within months of diagnosis.
This cancer is indeed characterized by a silent progression, without apparent symptoms, and very quickly forms metastases. The first alarm signals are:
- jaundice,
- weight loss
- anorexia, fatigue
- abdominal or back pain
it often happens that the cancer has already spread to the surrounding tissues (liver, lymph nodes) and cannot be removed by surgery.
The reasons for the worrying rise in pancreatic cancer
Another worrying aspect of pancreatic cancer is that several specialists predict that its impact is likely to worsen over the next few years and that this disease might become the second leading cause of cancer death by 2030. A recent article summarizes the main factors that explain this upward trend:
Obesity and diabetes.
Historically, smoking was the main lifestyle factor associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer (the risk is doubled in smokers). With the drastic drop in the number of smokers, we should normally have expected to see the incidence of pancreatic cancer drop sharply, in a manner similar to the steady decline in lung cancer observed over the past fifteen years. Unfortunately, these gains have been offset by skyrocketing rates of obesity and diabetes, which are also major risk factors for pancreatic cancer.
Obesity, overweight: 150% increased chance of developing pancreatic cancer
Excess fat is a pathological condition associated with chronic inflammation, overproduction of several growth factors and major metabolic disorders that collectively promote the development of several types of cancer. With regard to pancreatic cancer, studies indicate that people who are obese in early adulthood (20-49 years) are 150% more likely to be struck down by pancreatic cancer and develop this cancer 2 to 6 years earlier than people of normal weight.
The prevention to be put in place to limit the risks
Prevention remains the key to reducing the incidence of pancreatic cancer and reducing its high mortality rate.
Avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing your consumption of red meats and processed meats in favor of vegetable protein sources are the best known ways to prevent the development of pancreatic cancer.
Source
Wallis C. Why pancreatic cancer is on the rise. Scientific American, 2018.
