Preventing Cancer in the Pancreas

Pancreatic cancer is one of the rarer cancers (only 2 percent of new cancer diagnoses in the United States are pancreatic), but if your mother, father or sibling has had the disease, then your risk of developing it triples. While there are no proven ways to prevent cancer in the pancreas, there are some factors that may help reduce your risk.

Diet

• Diet is an important aspect of staying healthy, especially when it comes to warding off cancer. According to a recent study at the University of California San Fransisco, eating raw vegetables daily can cut your risk for pancreatic cancer in half. The study also indicates that eating at least five servings of certain vegetables (corn, carrots, yams, onions, leafy greens) daily also lowers your risk, and these are especially beneficial if consumed raw. A diet heavy in meat may increase chances for the disease, especially in men, so choose leaner proteins or meatless entrees whenever possible.

Exercise

• Being overweight increases your risk for contracting pancreatic cancer, so not only do you want to eat healthy, but you want to stay physically fit and maintain a healthy weight, as well. A common recommendation to maintain health is 30 minutes of light or moderate exercise daily (brisk walking, swimming, cycling). If you are not currently exercising, shoot for 15 to 20 minutes at a time and gradually work your way up. To check if you are considered overweight or obese, calculate your body mass index (see Resources). If your BMI is 25 or more, you are overweight.

Other Factors

• Smoking doubles your risk of pancreatic cancer, so it is important to quit altogether. If that's not possible, at least drastically cut back and use whatever means necessary to work toward quitting. Smokers account for 25 percent of pancreatic cancer patients.