Five Major Causes Of Pancreatic Cancer You Must Know
Among all the cancers known to medical science, pancreatic cancer is quite hard to detect during its early stages. It remains the fourth major cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Just under 50,000 people die every year because of this deadly disease.
Some common symptoms include chronic stomach pain, jaundice, and unexplained weight loss. While these could be normal symptoms that indicate other simpler conditions, it’s better to be proactive, which could help you with the early detection of deadly cancers.
Cancer Induced By Drugs
Since 2019, medical experts and law officers have been linking ranitidine users and cancer of the pancreas. In fact, pancreatic cancer is just one of few other cancers that have been linked to ranitidine sold under the brand name Zantac by pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. Today, the British drug manufacturer faces numerous class-action lawsuits that have now been consolidated into one representative case scheduled to be heard later this year in Miami, Florida.
A random test found Zantac contained large traces of a known carcinogen called NDMA that’s been linked to several cancers. So if you are a regular Zantac user and are experiencing some of the previously mentioned symptoms, we recommend you get a thorough medical checkup.
Other Common Causes Of Pancreatic Cancer
Out of several factors, old age is the most commonly seen trigger that promotes the development of pancreatic cancer. Generally, people get diagnosed with this cancer fall somewhere between the 60s or 70s age bracket.
While age is a factor you cannot control, there are other factors that you could, such as reducing tobacco use, heavy drinking, etc. These factors significantly increase the risk of getting chronic pancreatitis or pancreas scarring, a condition that increases the chances of getting pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic Cysts
Furthermore, there are several instances where people get diagnosed with pancreatic cysts. Certain cysts have the potential to grow into full-blown cancer. So if you are diagnosed with a pancreatic cyst, you must take immediate action with medical help to prevent it from developing into cancer.
Genetics
Like stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer can also result from genetic or hereditary causes. Although a rare occurrence, it’s important to be aware of any cases in your family to connect a possible condition to certain genetic syndromes at the right time.
Suppose a person of direct relation, like your parent, had pancreatic cancer. In that case, you might have a higher risk of getting it as well. However, studies have also shown that the collective risk of someone getting pancreatic cancer due to genetic reasons is quite low if just one relative in the family had this cancer.
Conversely, you might need to have a different approach if there are multiple cases, especially in the case of a generational pattern. This could pose a viable risk factor, and you must get periodic screenings to keep a check on your chances of getting pancreatic cancer.
Diabetic Patient Risks
Given that the pancreas regulates the normal processing of glucose, it’s obvious for someone to think of a link between diabetes and pancreatic cancer. They are indeed closely related in many cases.
However, the scientific community is yet to find out the true extent of this connection. As you may know, certain types of diabetes, such as type-2 diabetes, put you at a slightly higher risk of getting diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Recent studies suggest that a sudden diagnosis of diabetes in the past year or two could be a pancreatic cancer indicator. It also shows how pancreatic cancer can generate substances that make us more susceptible to diabetes and its complications.
So if you’re able to distinguish this new diabetes from regular diabetes, you have a better chance of detecting pancreatic cancer during its early stages. Also, most patients lose weight when they get diagnosed with diabetes, but the extent of weight loss may be a cancer indicator. It would be ideal to have a blood test to differentiate those two types of diabetes.
To Summarize
That wraps up the five major causes of pancreatic cancer that you must be aware of. While some causes are out of your hands, others can be mitigated with a better lifestyle. Diabetic patients and individuals likely to develop genetic mutations must be constantly monitored to detect such cancers during the early stages. You must keep yourself up to date with the latest findings in the medical and cancer treatment space. Knowing these details will help you detect symptoms that could point to pancreatic cancer.
