Following a healthy lifestyle—such as eating well and doing regular exercise—might reduce the chances of developing fatal prostate cancer in men who are genetically predisposed to it, a new study suggests. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Signs Your Illness is Actually Coronavirus in Disguise.
Following a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk, new study shows
Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston looked at the genetic data of nearly 10,500 men—2,100 who developed prostate cancer over a median follow-up period of 18 years, and almost 240 whose prostate cancer proved lethal over a median follow-up of 22 years.
The study divided the participants into four equal groups. Men with the highest genetic risk were 5.4 times more likely to develop prostate cancer, and 3.5 times more likely to die of it, than men with the lowest genetic risk.
Researchers found that by following a healthy lifestyle, men at the highest genetic risk of fatal prostate cancer could slash their risk in half: High-risk men who had a healthy lifestyle when the study began had a lifetime lethal prostate cancer incidence of 3%, compared to 6% for high-risk men with the least healthy lifestyle, and 3% for all participants in the study.
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Men at risk benefit from screening, diet
The findings were presented last week during the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). “The excess genetic risk of lethal prostate cancer could be offset by adhering to a healthy lifestyle,” said study co-lead author Anna Plym. “Our findings add to current evidence suggesting that men with a high genetic risk may benefit from a targeted prostate cancer screening program, aiming at detecting a potentially lethal prostate cancer while it is still curable.”
Genetics are believed to account for 58% of prostate cancer risk. According to the American Cancer Society, other risk factors include age (it’s more common in men after age 50, with 60% of cases found after age 65) and race or ethnicity (African-American and Caribbean men have a greater risk). Potential risk factors such as diet, weight, chemical exposures, and sexually transmitted infections, are less clear.
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What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 13 out of 100 American men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetime. Symptoms of prostate cancer include difficulty or pain while urinating, frequent urination, blood in the urine or semen, painful ejaculation, or pain in the back, hips or pelvis that doesn’t go away. And to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don’t miss these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.
Signs You’re Getting One of the
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died from complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer. The same deadly disease took civil rights leader and Democratic Representative John Lewis and Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. So what is pancreatic cancer—and why should you be worried about getting it yourself? Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Signs Your Illness is Actually Coronavirus in Disguise.
1. What is Pancreatic Cancer?
Your pancreas, tucked away behind your stomach, is an inconspicuous organ tirelessly producing essential enzymes and hormones your body needs for digestion, and to regulate blood sugar. Pancreatic cancer is a disease in which cancerous cells form in the tissues of the organ, disrupting its necessary functions.
2. How is it Diagnosed?
Justice Ginsberg’s cancer was caught during a routine blood test last July. If caught early, pancreatic cancer is treatable. But the vast majority of cases aren’t diagnosed until it’s too late—in large part because no reliable early screening test exists. And when something goes wrong with it, your pancreas has a tendency to whisper, not shout. This makes pinpointing problems particularly challenging, especially when it comes to pancreatic cancer.
3. How is it Treated?
There are a variety of effective forms of treatment: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Justice Ginsberg’s initial treatment lasted three weeks—and was then ongoing as it flared. Trebek underwent chemotherapy. “Cancer is mysterious in more ways than one,” he told GMA. “The thought of passing on doesn’t frighten me,” he said. “Other things do. The effect it will have on my loved ones—yes, that bothers me. It makes me sad. But the thought of myself moving on? Hey, folks, it comes with the territory.”
4. What is the Prognosis?
According to the American Cancer Society, “for all stages of pancreatic cancer combined, the one-year relative survival rate is 20%, and the five-year rate is 7%,” reports Pancreatic.org.Trebek originally said he’d fight his, ending with a joke: “Truth told, I have to! Because under the terms of my contract, I have to host Jeopardy! for three more years.” His good humor aside, the news shocked his fans—and many Americans. The “low survival-rate statistics for this disease” he said meant “the prognosis for this is not very encouraging.” As for Ginsberg, she initially “canceled her annual summer visit to Santa Fe,” according to a statement, “but has otherwise maintained an active schedule”—and she worked right up until her death.Discovering it early was key to her recovery. Read on to learn the warning signs we should all watch out for.
5. You Experience Nausea and Vomiting, Especially After Eating Fatty Foods
Fatty foods can do a number on you, and others—for proof, just visit a men’s room on a Monday morning (or don’t). However, if you are repeatedly experiencing nausea and vomiting, especially after eating fatty foods like fries, pizza, or even avocados, it may be a sign that something is wrong with your pancreas. Why? Pancreatic cancer symptoms can arise when pressure from a pancreatic cyst or tumor is growing on the stomach or small intestine, causing a block of the digestive tract. As the growth becomes bigger, it can actually cause a partial block by entwining itself around the far end of the stomach.As well, your pancreas produces digestive enzymes that help your system break down fat, among other things. Diseases that affect the pancreas tend to mess with your body’s fat-digesting capabilities, leading to nausea and possible vomiting. A sudden onset of these symptoms, though, is more likely to indicate pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas.The Rx: There are myriad reasons for an upset stomach, so don’t quickly jump to conclusions. If nausea or vomiting after eating persists, make sure to see a doctor so you can find out what’s going on.
6. Your Skin and Eyes Look Yellow
Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and eyes that occurs when bilirubin, a component of bile, builds up in the blood. Bilirubin is made by the liver as a breakdown product of old red blood cells and is usually eliminated from your body when your gallbladder releases bile.Here’s how your pancreas is involved: Bile travels from your gallbladder through the common bile duct and passes through the pancreas. But if the bile ducts become blocked—for whatever reason—jaundice may result. Jaundice can be a sign of pancreatic cancer if a tumor is growing in the head of the pancreas, obstructing the bile duct and flow of bile.The Rx: They may be galling, but gallstones are the more likely cause for jaundice in adults than pancreatic cancer. Lower your risk of gallstones by following a healthy eating plan and regularly exercising.
7. Your Poop. It’s Doing Funny Things, like Floating
Oily? Greasy? Gray? Floating? If your poop is playing these tricks on you, it may be a sign of pancreatic disease. It can wreak havoc on your ability to produce the digestive enzymes that break down fats properly. The result can be funky feces. See an oily film in your toilet water after going No. 2—or find your feces floating? That’s due to dietary fat that’s not getting broken down by your body. And as for the pale poop phenomenon: Bilirubin gives your poop its brown color, but when your bile ducts are blocked, that color goes to monochromatic hues of gray or clay.The Rx: Poop that’s a bit “special” every now and then is nothing to freak out about. But if most of your bowel movements start to have these characteristics, call your doctor and get yourself checked out.RELATED: Most COVID Patients Did This Before Getting Sick
8. You Suddenly Get Diabetes
If you eat a healthy diet, your weight is under control, but you become diagnosed with diabetes, it might warrant a closer look at your pancreas. This is true especially if you’re over 50 and have a low BMI (body mass index), with no family history of diabetes. Your pancreas produces insulin, which regulates your body’s blood sugar. When your pancreas is under attack by a tumor or disease, systems begin to fail, and it can be common for people to suddenly develop type 2 diabetes.The same goes if you’ve had well-controlled diabetes for a while and suddenly find it difficult to manage the disease. Rapid shifts in diabetes status without a clear-cut rationale may be associated with pancreatic cancer.The Rx: If you have diabetes but experience a sudden change in your blood sugar levels, be sure to let your doctor know so you can rule out a more serious problem with your pancreas.
9. You’ve Just Unexpectedly Lost Weight
10. You Experience Abdominal Pain
Pain in your abdomen or back is a common warning sign of pancreatic cancer and acute pancreatitis, but the pain manifests differently for each. Radiating pain that extends toward the mid or lower back, which goes on for weeks, could be a sign of pancreatic cancer. The American Cancer Society shares that if a tumor that starts in the body or tail of the pancreas grows to be rather large, it can press on neighboring organs, causing pain. Sometimes, pancreatic cancer can spread to the nerves that surround the pancreas, which can result in back pain.If the pain, however, comes on suddenly, feels intense, and is mostly in the middle of your abdomen, it’s more likely to be acute pancreatitis.The Rx: Any number of health issues can be the cause of your stomach aches or pain. And more likely than not, your upset stomach is due to a more mundane, garden-variety cause. If abdominal pain persists, however, please see your doctor. As for yourself: To get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don’t miss these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.