November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. It is a month dedicated to raising awareness about this serious cancer, providing information about it so that there is hope of catching it early and eventually finding a cure, and discussing the role of home care in supporting seniors with this cancer.
Pancreatic Cancer Facts
The pancreas is an organ that is about six inches long and resides in the abdomen between the spine and stomach. Its responsibility is to release digestive juices into the intestines. The enzymes it creates break down starches, sugars, and fat. The pancreas also produces hormones that help the body regulate its blood sugar levels.
Learning that you have pancreatic cancer can be a scary diagnosis. Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all cancers, with a five-year survival rate of only 13%.
Pancreatic Cancer Risks
One of the key components to such a low rate of survival is that many pancreatic cancers do not get detected until they have advanced and have also spread to other parts of the body. One way to help catch this cancer early is to know what your elderly loved one’s risk factors are regarding pancreatic cancer so that you can help him take action if his health begins to deteriorate.
Pancreatic Cancer Risk Factors Your Loved One Can’t Change
- Age. Pancreatic cancer almost always occurs in individuals 65 or older. The average age of diagnosis is 70.
- Gender. Men are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than women.
- Race. African-Americans are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, but this may also be because they are at higher risk of having some of the health conditions that are known to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.
- Hereditary. A family history of pancreatic cancer may increase the possibility of developing this cancer.
- Having Pancreatitis. If your loved one has pancreatitis, he’s more likely to have pancreatic cancer develop.
Pancreatic Cancer Risk Factors Your Loved One Can Avoid
- Using tobacco. Smoking, vaping, and chewing tobacco can all increase his risk of developing pancreatic cancer. About 25 percent of pancreatic cancers are thought to be caused by cigarette smoke.
- Obesity. Those who are considered obese on the BMI scale are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, especially if that extra weight is carried in the waistline.
- Diabetes. Those with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.
- Exposure to workplace chemicals. Chemicals in dry cleaning companies and metal working industries raise the risk.
If you looked at the risk factors that can’t be avoided and saw that your elderly loved one can check off several of them, then it’s more important than ever to help him make some lifestyle changes so that he doesn’t compound the risk of developing this dangerous form of cancer by increasing his risk with those factors he can change.
Get Support for Lifestyle Changes from a Home Care Provider
You might consider having a home care provider to help him implement changes if he is living on his own. A home care provider can come into the home and help him make diet changes, implement an exercise program, and help him manage any current conditions he has.
With a home care provider helping, your loved one will have better odds of making some positive lifestyle changes that will help him avoid pancreatic cancer.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Home Care in Sacramento, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
Sources:
- https://pancreatic.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-Pancreatic-Cancer-Facts_PPL.pdf
- https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/pancreatic-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html
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