There are a number of risk factors that can contribute to an individual's chances of developing pancreatic cancer at some point in their life. These risk factors may include age, gender, race, diet, cigarette smoking, chronic pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, exposure to certain chemicals, family history, and medical history.
Age and gender play important roles when considering pancreatic cancer risk factors. Men are 20 percent more likely to develop this type of cancer than women are, and as a person grows older, their chance of developing pancreatic cancer increases. Most people diagnosed with the condition are over fifty years of age and more than seventy percent of them are over age sixty-five. Younger people are rarely diagnosed with the condition. African Americans are also at a significantly increased risk. It has been estimated that they are up to fifty percent more likely to develop the condition than Caucasian people are.
Family history also plays an important role. The development of pancreatic cancer has been shown to run in some families and it is estimated that up to 10 percent of pancreatic cancer cases may be a result of an inherited condition. Oftentimes, genetic testing can determine whether or not family history plays a part in a person's chances of developing the condition.
A person's medical history can also be a risk factor. Medical conditions like diabetes mellitus and chronic pancreatitis can increase one's risk of developing the condition, although most patients with chronic pancreatitis won't develop pancreatic cancer. Patients with diabetes mellitus are most at risk during the first five years after diagnosis.
While it's not possible to control your age, gender, race, medical history or family history, there are some personal habits that can increase one's risk of developing pancreatic cancer. People who smoke heavily are two to three times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than nonsmokers are. In fact, it's been estimated that up to 30 percent of all pancreatic cancer cases are directly linked to smoking.
A person's diet is also thought to affect a person¡¯s risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Diets that are high in the consumption of meat and fat may contribute to a person's risk of developing this type of cancer, while diets high in fruit, vegetables and fiber may actually reduce one's risk.
In addition to cessation of smoking and watching one¡¯s diet, avoiding certain chemical exposure might also reduce one¡¯s risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Certain dyes, chemicals related to making gasoline, and certain pesticides are thought to increase a person's risk if they are exposed on a regular basis.
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