Almost 21 Million Americans
Have Diabetes
As of 2010, 7% of the US population have diabetes. Over 6 million of those are not even aware they have the disease. Most medical researchers conclude that diabetes is a definite risk factor of developing cancer of the pancreas. Some researchers believe it is the number one risk while others only view it as being among many risk factors.
Studies show that 1% of patients diagnosed with diabetes after the age of 50 will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer inside of 3 years of being diagnosed with diabetes. This is a warning sign that must be discussed with your physician to insure close monitoring.
Take Steps To Minimize The Risk
There are certain diabetic risk factors that cannot be controlled including family history of diabetes, advancing age and ethnicity. However, diabetes can be somewhat mitigated and the onset of Type 2 Diabetes can be delayed by implementing a healthier lifestyle.
Eating a healthy diet, avoiding becoming overweight and increased physical activity can help prevent getting type 2 diabetes. Consult your physician to discuss ways to reduce the risk. If you have symptoms of having diabetes, or if you are over the age of 30, request that your physician perform or order the tests to determine whether or not you have a form of diabetes.
Basic Causes of Diabetes
One of the roles of the pancreas is producing insulin which balances levels of blood sugars. Essentially, diabetes is a disease in which the pancreas fails to either produce sufficient levels of insulin, or the body does not efficiently use the insulin to maintain normal blood glucose levels.
There are differing types of diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes results when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin. This type accounts for about 5% to 10% of diagnosed cases. Type 2 Diabetes results when the body does not properly use insulin for its purpose and is usually combined with insulin deficiency. Type 2 accounts for the overwhelming number of cases diagnosed.
Insulin permits glucose to enter cells as a source of energy. With diabetes, the glucose will remain in the blood instead of entering the cells. This results in high blood glucose levels which can lead to cell damage creating major health problems including a higher risk of developing cancer of the pancreas.
There are other causes of diabetes including genetic conditions, drugs, malnutrition, and surgery.
It is important to note that in addition to the combined number of both diagnosed and undiagnosed cases, there is an estimated 54 million Americans that are "pre-diabetic" which is described as having a glucose level higher than normal, but not quite high enough to be classified as "diabetes".
Since 21 million people in the United States likely have diabetes and another 54 million could be "pre-diabetic", 25% of the population can be considered at some degree of risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
It Can Be A Double-Edged Sword
Patients with pancreatic cancer are at risk of getting diabetes and conversely diabetes can cause pancreatic cancer. Many studies show that the risk of developing pancreatic cancer at a later age is much higher than those that do not have diabetes. See your physcian to arrange for tests or to discuss the ways to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.
Other Information Sources
- What Is The Pancreas?
- Dr. Oz Panel Discusses Risk
- Mayo Clinic Overview
- Metaformin Reduces Risk
- Pancreatic Cancer Risk Factors
