Pancreatic Cancer Prevention
There is no sure way to prevent pancreatic cancer. However, you can take steps to lower your risk by:
- Know your risk factors: This is an important first step toward reducing your risk of pancreatic cancer. Learn more about causes of pancreatic cancer.
- Talk to your doctor: Let your doctor know if you have a family history of pancreatic cancer.
- Know the symptoms: If you notice any symptoms, see your doctor right away. Learn more about symptoms of pancreatic cancer.
You can help lower your risk for pancreatic cancer by making healthy lifestyle choices, being careful if you work with chemicals and seeing your doctor if you experience any symptoms.
Cancer Prevention: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Taking action to try to lower your risk for pancreatic cancer may also lower your risk for other cancers. For example, not smoking may also lower your risk for lung, esophageal, stomach, head, neck, bladder and other cancers.
Talk with your doctor or nurse about steps you can take to lower your risk for pancreatic or other cancers. Here are some actions they may suggest:
- Don't smoke. If you do smoke, stop.
- Lower the fat in your diet.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables.
- Avoid too much weight gain and exercise regularly.
Cancer Prevention if you Work with Chemicals
Exposure to certain chemicals may raise your risk of pancreatic cancer. If you work with chemicals often, be sure to follow guidelines for safe use. Your employer or union safety director can give you guidelines for safe use of chemicals. You can also check with these organizations.
Pancreatic Cancer Screening
Screening tests check for disease in people who don't have symptoms. However, there are no recommended screening tests for pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer has been called a "silent" disease because it does not have many symptoms until the cancer has spread. Early symptoms may be vague and not specific to the pancreas (such as back pain). For that reason, it takes a while for many people with pancreatic cancer to get a diagnosis.
If you have pancreatic cancer symptoms, your doctor will do a series of tests to see if the symptoms are from cancer or from something else. Learn more about pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
