Best Prevention Methods for Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most unpredictable and at the same time dangerous oncological diseases. For many years, the tumor may not manifest itself in any way, and then it turns out that it is no longer possible to operate on it. The only thing left is prevention. We will talk about it in our article.

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor that develops from the epithelium of various parts of the pancreas.1. For a long time, the disease can proceed without symptoms at all. On the other hand, the signs of the disease may be similar to those of other health problems.

“Often, the first symptoms of pancreatic cancer appear already in the later stages, when the tumor has grown, compresses neighboring organs and ducts, which leads to intoxication of the body with decay products,” notes Oleg Zarubenkov, PhD, oncologist of the highest category. – A malignant neoplasm can be found in the head (according to various sources, 50-75% of cases), body or tail of the pancreas. In 25-30% of cases, the entire pancreas is affected.

Cancer of the head of the pancreas is often manifested by pain in the upper abdomen, aching back pain, weight loss2. People rarely pay attention to such symptoms at first, and by the time the patient sees a doctor, the cancer is usually incurable. 

The incidence of pancreatic cancer is steadily increasing from year to year. Unfortunately, effective methods of treatment that could significantly extend the life of patients and improve its quality, alas, have not yet been invented.

What to do? First of all, pay attention to risk factors. These include: alcohol abuse, chronic pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, smoking, obesity, physical inactivity3.

Also, pancreatic cancer is associated with the following factors: pancreatic cysts and adenomas (considered precancerous conditions), age over 60-65 years, cirrhosis of the liver, cholelithiasis, heredity (for example, cases of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas in relatives, and other factors).

Rejection of bad habits

Smoking is harmful not only to the lungs, but is also the direct cause of the development of 30-35% of all malignant neoplasms, including pancreatic cancer.4. And if in most cases the disease occurs in older people, then smokers can develop cancer earlier.5.

In itself, alcohol consumption, according to the results of various studies, does not have a significant effect on the development of pancreatic cancer. But, for example, alcoholic pancreatitis and a combination of bad habits (smoking + alcohol consumption) are considered risk factors.5.

Diet

There is evidence that eating large amounts of animal fat contributes to the mutation of the KRAS genes, which increases the risk of developing pancreatic and colon cancer. Reducing the calorie content of food has the opposite effect.6.

Many experts recommend adding more vegetables, fruits and berries to the diet, as well as foods rich in fiber.7. The most useful plant foods are citrus fruits, blueberries, black currants, raspberries, onions, garlic, cruciferous and leafy vegetables. But fruits rich in fructose (apples, pears, melons), it is better to consume less. As well as the beloved by many potatoes with sausages or cutlets from the store. Vegetables and fruits are useful to eat fresh (including after defrosting). Carrots, pumpkin, tomatoes, bell peppers are best eaten boiled or stewed. But fried or canned fruits and vegetables are harmful, and not only for the pancreas, but also for all digestive organs.

The researchers also conducted a study in which patients at risk for PCa were included in the diet of rosemary, turmeric, red pepper, as well as some nutrients, such as selenium and zinc. The result of the study: for 3 years, the participants of the experiment did not show a clinical picture of pancreatic cancer, and tumor markers were normal7.

In order to prevent cancer, you can try to stick to the Mediterranean diet, which involves a large number of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, olive oil and fish.

However, as many experts say, the issue of dietary prevention has not been sufficiently studied, and no one can say exactly what to eat and what not to avoid getting cancer. In other words, diet is not a guarantee.

Physical activity

According to some studies, an adequate increase in physical activity helps to reduce the risk of developing pancreatic cancer (and also cancer of the liver, stomach, colon)8.

It is not necessary to dedicate sports every evening and weekend – just 30 minutes of moderate activity is enough, whether it’s half an hour in the pool or walking from work to home at a brisk pace.

Light physical activity, such as regular gymnastics and walking in the fresh air, is also recommended by many doctors for patients with pancreatic cancer. It helps to maintain good health, appetite and mood, as well as reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Weight Control

Overweight and obesity increase the risk of getting cancer. It is the second most common cause of cancer4. Including when it comes to pancreatic cancer. People with a body mass index greater than 30 are at high risk9.

At the same time, it must be remembered that a sudden decrease in body weight for no apparent reason is a direct reason to consult a doctor. This may be a sign of pancreatic cancer.

Medical supervision

Scientists consider chronic pancreatitis not just a risk factor for the development of pancreatic cancer, but even call this pathology a precancerous condition. With a long course of pancreatitis, the risk of developing cancer increases 20 times, and if chronic pancreatitis is hereditary, then 60 (!) Times1. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly see a doctor and strictly follow all his recommendations.

The same goes for diabetes – people with this disease are also at risk for PCa. For example, patients of the “golden age” with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus have an 8-fold increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer.10.

By the way, after the treatment of pancreatic cancer, the risk of relapse is not excluded. Therefore, doctors recommend seeing a doctor every 12-16 weeks during the first two years after surgery and every six months thereafter.3.

Examination typically includes: Abdominal ultrasound, abdominal CT or MRI, pelvic ultrasound (for women), chest x-ray, complete blood count and biochemistry, and cancer antigen levels (fetal and CA). 19-9)11.

genetic screening

About 10% of cases of pancreatic cancer are due to heredity3. Therefore, many experts believe that identifying a predisposition to the development of oncology is a step ahead of the curve, with which you can choose individual preventive measures.

So, if close relatives had/have breast and/or ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, this increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

Other syndromes that predispose to the development of oncology include: Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome, Lee-Fraumeni syndrome12.

Popular questions and answers

Answers to the most popular questions about pancreatic cancer, candidate of medical sciences, oncologist of the highest category Oleg Zarubenkov.

At what age is pancreatic cancer most common?

Most often this disease is found in people over 70 years old. But the so-called risk group includes people over the age of 60-65 years. And almost all patients with pancreatic cancer are over 45 years old.

How common is pancreatic cancer?

– Among other oncological diseases (we consider the category of adults), pancreatic cancer ranks sixth. According to American scientists, pancreatic cancer accounts for about 3% of all malignant tumors. And this is the cause of about 7% of deaths from oncology. In Russia, these figures are slightly higher. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of death from all types of cancer.

Which factor increases the risk of pancreatic cancer?

There are many of them, and not all of them have been fully studied. However, factors that increase the likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer include a number of other diseases (for example, diabetes mellitus, chronic pancreatitis, cirrhosis of the liver), addiction to tobacco and alcohol, overweight, and a number of hereditary factors.

What diseases can be confused with pancreatic cancer by symptoms?

– In the medical literature, pancreatic cancer is often called an insidious disease (“insidious invisible”), because it can proceed for a long time without an obvious clinical picture. Symptoms may first appear in later stages. But even then, the signs of PCa, as a rule, are nonspecific. Therefore, they are often confused with chronic pancreatitis. To make a correct diagnosis, a complete examination is necessary.

Will multivitamins help prevent pancreatic cancer?

– Prevention of this disease is a healthy lifestyle. And this means that you need to give up bad habits (tobacco and alcohol, which is the main cause of chronic pancreatitis and cirrhosis of the liver), eat right and move more. This also includes a reasonable intake of multivitamins, which is part of a good diet, as it helps to fill the deficiency of various nutrients.

Sources of:

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  2. E.E. Foltz. Pancreatic cancer // Bulletin of medical Internet conferences. 2019. Volume 9. No. 3. pp. 146-151 https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/rak-podzheludochnoy-zhelezy/viewer
  3. Pancreas cancer. Clinical guidelines. 2021. Approved at a meeting of the Scientific and Practical Council of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (minutes No. 03 / 2-3-4 of 12.03.2021). https://goo.su/IGH0DA
  4. D.G. Zaridze, D.M. Maksimovich. Prevention of malignant neoplasms // Advances in molecular oncology. 2017. Volume 4. No. 2. pp. 8-24 https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/profilaktika-zlokachestvennyh-novoobrazovaniy/viewer
  5. Norbert Hüser, Volker Assfalg, Daniel Hartmann, Daniel Reim, Alexander Novotny, Edouard Matevossian, Helmut Friess. Diagnosis and surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer // Experimental and Clinical Gastroenterology. 2011. No. 7. pp. 102-111 https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/diagnostika-i-hirurgicheskoe-lechenie-raka-podzheludochnoy-zhelezy/viewer
  6. I.V. Ugarov, T.A. Vasina, A.E. Lychkova, L.N. Kostyuchenko, O.V. Smirnova. A new methodological approach to the prevention of pancreatic cancer // Problems of nutrition. Application. 2018. Volume 87, No. 5. P. 123. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/novyy-metodologicheskiy-podhod-k-profilaktike-raka-podzheludochnoy-zhelezy/viewer
  7. V.V. Zakrevsky, V.G. Liflandsky. Vegetables and fruits in the prevention and treatment of cancer in the light of evidence-based medicine (part 2) // Bulletin of St. Petersburg University. The medicine. 2013. Volume 13. Issue. 1. S. 91-105. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/ovoschi-i-plody-v-profilaktike-i-lechenii-raka-v-svete-dokazatelnoy-meditsiny-chast-2/viewer
  8. S.A. Levakov, E.I. Borovkova, N.A. Sheshukova, T.D. Guriev. Factors to reduce the risk of developing malignant tumors // Obstetrics and gynecology: news, opinions, training. 2014. No. 2. pp. 50-57. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/factory-snizheniya-riska-razvitiya-zlokachestvennyh-opuholey/viewer
  9. I.N. Grigorieva, O.V. Efimova, T.S. Suvorov, N.L. Tov. Pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer and obesity: hypotheses and facts // Experimental and Clinical Gastroenterology. 2014. No. 9 (109). pp. 4-10 https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/pankreatit-rak-podzheludochnoy-zhelezy-i-ozhirenie-gipotezy-i-fakty/viewer
  10. A.N. Lebedeva, V.A. Kubyshkin, V.S. Demidov. Diabetes mellitus and pancreatic cancer // Surgery. Journal them. N.I. Pirogov. 2013. No. 4. S. 82‑86. https://www.mediasphera.ru/issues/khirurgiya-zhurnal-im-ni-pirogova/2013/4/030023-12072013416
  11. HE. Lipatov, K.T. Akhmetgareeva. The role of genetic mutations in the prevention of malignant neoplasms in a healthy population (literature review) // Creative Surgery and Oncology. 2020. No. 10 (4). pp. 330-338 https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/rol-geneticheskih-mutatsiy-v-profilaktike-zlokachestvennyh-novoobrazovaniy-u-zdorovogo-naseleniya-obzor-literatury/viewer

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