Those who smoke and binge should read this carefully. A new study done in US has found that smokers and drinkers are on high risk of developing pancreatic cancer at an earlier age than those who don’t have these habits.
Researchers from the University of Michigan Health System came to the conclusion that heavy smokers with pancreatic cancer were diagnosed around 62 years and heavy drinkers at age 61 – which is 10 years earlier than the average age of 72.
The American Journal of Gastroenterology says that smoking is a great risk factor for pancreatic cancer and alcohol also cause oxidative damage to the pancreas, that triggers the inflammatory pathways leading to cancer,
To come to this result research was done on 811 pancreatic cancer patients. The research shows that these habits can lead to developing pancreatic cancer earlier in life. The study also shows a way to understand at what age screening for pancreatic cancer should start - once widespread screening is available, says a Michigan statement.
"As screening programmes are developed, an understanding of how personal features influence the age of presentation will be important to optimize the timing of those screenings," gastroenterologist Michelle Anderson, assistant professor of internal medicine at Michigan and lead author of the study has been quoted as saying.
Diagnosing pancreatic cancer in early stages is difficult and contributes to the poor survival rates. By the time pancreatic cancer is diagnosed, it is normally at an advanced stage and has spread to other organs.
Presently there is no test to find it in people who do not have symptoms. The study defines smokers as those who had more than a pack per day, and heavy drinking was measured at more than 39 grams a day, or about three average drinks per day.
--with inputs from IANS
|
|
Comments:
