These 3 Misconceptions About Pancreatic Cancer Can Harm Your Health

Many Americans believe misconceptions about pancreatic cancer risk that could put their health at risk, according to a new study.

A new study from Ohio State University found that 53% of adults under age 50 said they did not recognize the early signs of pancreatic cancer. A third of respondents believe that only older people are at risk of the disease, and 37% believe that there is nothing they can do to reduce their risk of pancreatic cancer.

Just over 1,000 people took part in the survey, which was conducted in early October.

Pancreatic cancer affects the pancreas, an organ that sits behind the stomach and aids in digestion. It is considered a rare disease, but pancreatic cancer often has a dire prognosis: the 5-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 13%.

Still, the overall lack of knowledge about pancreatic cancer risk is alarming, especially as rates of early-onset cancer—cases in people under 50—are rising.

“The incidence of pancreatic cancer… is increasing at about 1% annually, and we are seeing this disease much more often in people over 40 years of age. This is a worrying trend and research is needed to understand why.” Zobeida Cruz-Monserrat, Ph.D.James, co-director of the Molecular Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention Program at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, said in a press release.

With cases so rising, here’s what experts said about common misconceptions about pancreatic cancer, as well as the information you need to know to make sure you stay on top of your risk.

In a new survey, more than half of adults under 50 said they did not know the early signs of pancreatic cancer.

This may be because, unlike other cancers such as breast or leather— The symptoms of pancreatic cancer can be difficult to recognize.

In most cases, pancreatic cancer does not cause any symptoms until the disease becomes locally advanced or metastatic, meaning the cancer has spread to another part of the body. Marcovalerio Melis, MDsaid a surgical oncologist at Northwell Health Lenox Hill Hospital. Health.

By the time these symptoms do appear, they tend to be very nonspecific, he said. Signs of pancreatic cancer include abdominal or back pain, weight loss, loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea, and new-onset diabetes.

“Tumors of the body and tail pancreas often cause nonspecific abdominal symptoms, with patients experiencing fatigue and weight loss,” it added. Timothy Donahue, MDsurgical director of the Aga Hirschberg Center for Pancreatic Diseases at UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

In later stages of pancreatic cancer, people may also develop jaundice– yellowing of the skin and eyes, as well as dark urine, pale stools and itchy skin. This jaundice can occur when tumors form in the head of the pancreas, which can block the bile ducts, Donahue said. Health.

If anyone suspects they have jaundice, they should seek medical help immediately.

But it can be more difficult to know when to see a doctor if you’re experiencing these more nonspecific symptoms.

“These are symptoms that many people experience at some point in their lives,” Melis said. “More often than not, these symptoms are the result of a benign process.”

But if symptoms last longer than two to three months, people should seek medical help and discuss the issue with their doctor, he recommended.

According to the survey, about a third of people believe that only older people are at risk of pancreatic cancer.

This disease is certainly more of a concern for older people – on average they are 70 years old at the time of diagnosis. About 90% of cases are diagnosed in people over 55, and two-thirds of pancreatic cancer deaths occur in people 65 and older, Melis said.

“The disease remains relatively rare in people under 45,” he explained.

Despite this, there is a worrying trend: younger people are being diagnosed more often.

“Over the past decade, greater increases in pancreatic cancer incidence have been observed among younger adults than other age groups, especially among people ages 15 to 34,” Melis said.

Lifestyle factors such as obesity Alcohol consumption among younger generations, as well as environmental exposures and dietary changes may be contributing to the trend, he said.

“With only modest improvements in survival and rising incidence, it is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States within five years,” Donahue said.

Although 37% of people believe there is nothing they can do to reduce their risk of developing pancreatic cancer, experts stress that this is not true.

According to the American Cancer Society, about 10% of pancreatic cancer cases are associated with inherited gene mutations, including BRCA1BRCA2, PALB2 and mutations associated with Lynch syndrome and familial atypical melanoma multiple mole (FAMMM) syndrome.

People often undergo genetic testing and counseling after they are diagnosed with a disease.

Beyond these genetic risks, however, a significant portion of pancreatic cancer cases are associated with risk factors that people can change, Melis says. In particular, there are four risk factors to pay attention to:

• Smoking. The risk of developing pancreatic cancer in people who smoke is twice as high as in those who do not smoke. But ‘the good news is that smoking cessation can significantly reduce risk, for example, 10 to 20 years after quitting smoking, the risk of pancreatic cancer in former smokers returns to the level seen in never smokers,” Melis said.
• Diabetes. Long-term diabetes is associated with a 1.5- to 2-fold increase in the risk of pancreatic cancer. “While not all forms of diabetes are preventable, a healthy diet and lifestyle can certainly prevent and sometimes even reverse the onset of diabetes. type 2 diabetes– Melis explained.
• High body mass index (BMI) or weight. “Relative risk of pancreatic cancer in individuals with a BMI (more than) 30 kg/m² is 1.72 compared to persons with a BMI (less than) 23 kg/m.² after controlling for the effects of age, smoking and diabetes,” Melis said. For this reason, people should do everything they can to maintain a healthy weight. Additionally, since processed foods in general are associated with higher rates of cancer, people should also choose a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, he recommended.
• Drinking alcohol. Additional research on the connection between alcohol and cancer still ongoing. However, Melis said growing evidence suggests that alcohol use, especially heavy drinking, is associated with pancreatic cancer risk. “Notably, excessive alcohol consumption is also associated with pancreatitisis also a possible risk factor for pancreatic cancer,” he said.