2024-01-04 21:55:55
Pancreatic cancer is a disease that progresses without showing signs. The Mayo Clinic research institute assures that it normally begins in the tissues of this organ, which is located behind the lower part of the stomach. The pancreas releases enzymes that help in the digestive process and produces hormones that help control blood glucose.
Several types of tumors can occur in the pancreas, including cancerous and non-cancerous. The most common type of cancer in this area begins in the cells that line the ducts that carry digestive enzymes out of the pancreas and is known as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Pancreatic cancer is rarely detected in its early stages, when it is most curable. This is because it often does not cause symptoms until following it has spread to other organs.
Pancreatic cancer can cause pain when it is advanced. | Photo: Getty Images
Symptoms to pay attention to
However, there are signs that should be paid attention to, because they usually indicate that the disease is already advanced. These are the most relevant.
- Abdominal pain that radiates to the back.
- Loss of appetite or involuntary weight loss.
- Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice).
Food is key to preventing pancreatic cancer. | Photo: Getty Images
Risk factor’s
- Smoke.
- Being very overweight.
- Have a personal history of diabetes or chronic pancreatitis.
- Have a family history of pancreatic cancer or pancreatitis.
- Have certain inherited conditions, such as: multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 1, hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer, and familial melanoma syndrome with multiple atypical moles.
Complications of the disease
As pancreatic cancer progresses, it can cause complications such as the following, says the Mayo Clinic.
- Weight Loss: Several factors can cause weight loss. It can occur as the cancer uses up the body’s energy. Likewise, nausea and vomiting caused by cancer treatments or a tumor pressing on the stomach can make it difficult to eat.
- Jaundice: Pancreatic cancer that blocks the liver’s bile duct can cause jaundice. Signs include yellow skin and eyes, dark-colored urine, and pale stools. Jaundice usually occurs without abdominal pain.
Jaundice is a symptom of pancreatic cancer. | Photo: Getty Images
How to prevent pancreatic cancer?
There are factors that can help prevent the development of this disease. For example, quit smoking. This habit is the most important and avoidable risk factor for pancreatic cancer, says the American Cancer Society.
Diet is also key, as is maintaining a healthy weight. This added to the practice of physical activity on a regular basis.
The aforementioned source assures that red and processed meats and sugary drinks can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. Specialists recommend following a healthy eating pattern that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and that limits or avoids meats and highly processed foods.
Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to pancreatic cancer in some studies. This habit can also lead to conditions, such as chronic pancreatitis, which increases the risk of developing this disease.
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