Probable Cause

Pancreatic Cancer - Probable Cause

Pancreatic Cancer is becoming increasingly common, in the Western countries. Latest studies reveal an alarming proposition of increased incidence. The major cause of concern about Pancreatic Cancer is the relative resistance to pancreatic cancer conventional treatment and an increased mortality rates associated with it. 2004 alone saw a death of 31,200 cases of deaths due to Pancreatic Cancer in the USA. In the UK, Pancreatic Cancer is the 11th common cause of Cancer.

Pancreatic Cancer being such a killer disease, it is imperative to know more about it, especially about the causes and risk factors. More importantly, the preventable causes of this disease must be determined. After all prevention is better than cure, more so when the cure is very far or almost nowhere in sight.

Causes:

There are various causes of Pancreatic Cancer but the broad classification is among the genetic or inherited causes and the acquired causes or risk factors leading to Pancreatic Cancer.

Genetic Cause:

A genetic link or predisposition is found in almost 1 out of 10 cases. The genes are carried on from the previous generation and later on in life develop in to full blown Cancer. There are two sets of genes which every individual inherits from the parents. Each set belongs to each of the parents. Now if in case the genes inherited from the father is mutants of the cancer related gene, and the other genes inherited from the mother are totally intact, then the individual may go on in life without any specific pancreatic illness. But in case the individual exposes himself or herself to the high risk factors associated with pancreatic cancer then the normal gene inherited from the mother may also be damaged. Now the individual in question has two damaged genes and this can go on to a full blown clinical case of Cancer.

Risk Factors:

The risk factors are the things which can cause an accelerated progress towards the disease. Smoking, Age, Religion, Gender, Ethnicity, Occupational exposure to chemical and metal industry, diabetes, Obesity, diet high in fats etc are all part of the Risk factor list.

Smoking:

Cigarette smoking is high on the list of risk factors. Smoking not only predisposes to full blown disease in genetically inherited cases, but also causes the onset of the disease in a much younger age. Smoking accounts as a cause for as much as 25 % of the cases. Smoking when stopped completely has also proved to reduce or completely terminate the cause of Cancer in case of inherited genes.

Age:

Typically the seventh generation seems to be the favorite age for onset of the disease, especially between 60-80 years of age.

Gender:

Males are more at risk of developing this deadly disease as compared to females.

Ethnicity:

The African Americans seem to be more at risk as compared to the whites.

Occupational:

Individuals who are exposed to the chemical and metal industry for considerably long periods of time have been seen to develop Cancer.

Diabetes:

When the Diabetes in an adult individual has been continuing since a long time, it can predispose to Pancreatic Cancer. Diabetes is also a clinical sign of Pancreatic Cancer.

Diet:

Unhealthy dietary habits have long been touted as a common cause of Cancer. A diet which is too concentrated in red meat, nitrosamines, fried food and junk food is dangerous. Regular intake of fruits and fresh vegetables should help in reducing the risk.

Religion:

Though it has got nothing to do with religion in particular, the Ashkenazi Jews show a higher incidence of this disease. This may be due to the fact that (BRCA2) which is a mutant in the breast cancer gene is known to be passing through different generations of the Ashkenazi Jews.

Obesity:

This is another high risk factor which predisposes not only to possible  but also to many other chronic and fatal diseases like Hypertension, Diabetes and Cardio vascular diseases.