Watch the scales: Being overweight may up pancreatic cancer risk
Pancreatic cancer is an extremely deadly type of the disease, with a five-year survival rate of just 8.5%.
By PTI |
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WASHINGTON: Being overweight before the age of 50 may significantly increase the risk of death from pancreatic cancer, a study has found.
Pancreatic cancer is relatively uncommon, accounting for just over three per cent of all new cancer cases. However, it is an extremely deadly type of cancer, with a five-year survival rate of just 8.5 per cent, researchers said.
"Pancreatic cancer rates have been steadily increasing since the early 2000s," said Eric J Jacobs, senior scientific director of Epidemiology Research at the American Cancer Society in the US.
"We've been puzzled by that increase because smoking - a major risk factor for pancreatic cancer - is declining," he said in a statement.
Most previous studies on the link between weight and pancreatic cancer were based on weight measured in older adulthood, which may be less informative because it could reflect body fat gained too late in life to influence risk of pancreatic cancer during a typical lifespan, Jacobs said.
A study by the National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research on Cancer shows that 11,57,294 lakh new cases are registered in India every year, and 7,84,821 people succumbed to the disease in 2018.
Here are certain lifestyle changes that can keep cancer away.
A study by the National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research on Cancer shows that 11,57,294 lakh new cases are registered in India every year, and 7,84,821 people succumbed to the disease in 2..
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Being overweight and obese raise risk for breast, colorectal, oesophageal, uterine, pancreatic and kidney cancers.
It is important to manage your weight. Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight.
It is essential to be physically active. Workout for at least 30 minutes every day to stay fit.
Being overweight and obese raise risk for breast, colorectal, oesophageal, uterine, pancreatic and kidney cancers.
It is important to manage your weight. Be as lean as possible without becoming unde..
Read More
Avoid sugary drinks as much as possible. Limit consumption of high-calorie and salty foods. Also stay away from food items processed with salt.
Avoid sugary drinks as much as possible. Limit consumption of high-calorie and salty foods. Also stay away from food items processed with salt.
Smoking remains the largest preventable cause of throat and lung cancers in the world. Avoid smoking and second-hand smoking.
Smoking remains the largest preventable cause of throat and lung cancers in the world. Avoid smoking and second-hand smoking.
Alcohol consumption plays an important role in getting various cancer types. Risk of breast cancer is also increased by alcohol — the more you drink, the more likely you get the disease. It is also strongly linked to mouth and upper throat cancers. If you drink alcohol, limit your daily intake.
Alcohol consumption plays an important role in getting various cancer types. Risk of breast cancer is also increased by alcohol — the more you drink, the more likely you get the disease. It is also s..
Read More
Eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes.
Don’t use supplements unless prescribed
Eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes.
Don’t use supplements unless prescribed
Diet high in red and processed meats contribute to bowel cancers. Limit consumption of red meat and avoid processed meats.
Diet high in red and processed meats contribute to bowel cancers. Limit consumption of red meat and avoid processed meats.
It’s necessary for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies up to six months.
It’s necessary for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies up to six months.
After treatment, cancer survivors should follow professional recommendation to prevent secondary cancer.
After treatment, cancer survivors should follow professional recommendation to prevent secondary cancer.
Researchers sought to find out if excess weight measured earlier in adulthood might be more strongly linked to pancreatic cancer risk than excess weight measured at older ages.
The team examined data from 963,317 US adults with no history of cancer. All participants reported their weight and height just once, at the start of the study, when some were as young as 30 while others were in their 70s or 80s.
The researchers used this information to calculate body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight relative to height, as an indicator of excess weight.
During the follow-up period, 8,354 participants died of pancreatic cancer. As expected, higher BMI was linked with increased risk of dying of pancreatic cancer, but this increase in risk was largest for BMI assessed at earlier ages.
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While the study only had information on deaths from pancreatic cancer, the disease is nearly always fatal, so results are expected to be similar to those for new diagnoses of pancreatic cancer, Jacobs said.
Jacobs said the study results indicate that excess weight could increase risk of death from pancreatic cancer more than previously believed.
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"Our results strongly suggest that to stop and eventually reverse recent increases in pancreatic cancer rates, we will need to do better in preventing excess weight gain in children and younger adults, an achievement which would help prevent many other diseases as well," Jacobs said.
