According to the National Cancer Institute, pancreatic cancer causes approximately 35,000 annual fatalities in the US, and is the 4th leading cause of death due to cancer in the country. Such numbers demonstrate its potent fatal effects, but the prognosis for the disease is poor. The state may be associated with the fact that pancreatic cancer is “silent” in terms of how it does not usually reveal symptoms in its early stages. This makes pancreatic cancer difficult, if not improbable, to detect at its early state.

A Glimpse at Pancreatic Cancer Figures

Statistics show that half a decade after being clinically diagnosed, only around 5% of patients survive. Furthermore, among patients that underwent oncology treatment, only 10% to 30% percent accounts for the bulk that is able to survive five years following the clinical diagnosis. Those who are lucky are able to detect the cancer at a time when they can still be subject to surgery, but these people are a meagre minority of about 20%. Also, it must be taken into account that the oncology treatment method using surgery can also cause side effects, which eventually lead to fatalities.

With the increasing popularity of natural health remedies as a topic for researchers and scientists, a recent study shows how certain natural elements have benefits in the potential prevention of pancreatic cancer. Given the disease’s “silent” method of slowly consuming the person, and its difficulty in being detected; it is important to consider the new scientific results yielded through a recent study by researchers from the University of California San Francisco.

The study findings show how increased daily intakes of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, and vitamin E can significantly reduce the risks of pancreatic cancer. The essential part is that the results underscore the beneficial role of a simple task -- increasing nutritional intakes -- in saving lives.

Research Results: The Benefits of Increasing Daily Intake of Powerful Antioxidants

Published in the International Journal for Cancer, researchers from the University of California San Francisco conducted a large population-based case-control study in the San Francisco Bay Area. Data were gathered and analyzed from 532 people diagnosed with the disease, and compared it with other data coming from 1,701 individuals without cancer.

Results showed that the area’s residents, who consumed 850 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids on a daily basis, were able to reduce the risks of pancreatic cancer by 53% as opposed to those who consumed lower daily amounts. Furthermore, high average intake of vitamin C yielded 31% reduction while vitamin E yielded 33%, compared to those who had lower amounts of vitamin C and E intake.

On the other hand, a caveat must also be given: Findings also showed that high intake of palmitoleic and oleic monounsaturated fatty acids and saturated fats can potentially increase risk of pancreatic cancer.

As for the good and beneficial dietary supplements that reduced pancreatic cancer risk, the researchers claimed that their helpful role may be attributed to their antioxidant properties, which inhibit the growth and reproduction of cancer cells. Furthermore, they also claim that pancreatic risk may also be reduced because of their role in enhancing the immune system’s functionality.

Pancreatic Cancer Prevention: More Natural Alternatives

The San Francisco Bay-based study is particularly helpful not just in underscoring the benefits of increased daily intakes of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, and vitamin E; but also in showing the very potent role of dietary supplements in affecting the risk of pancreatic cancer. As such, consumers should be aware of which supplements should be consumed at higher amounts, and which should be further regulated.

Apart from omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and vitamin C, there are other natural treatment methods that reduce risk, and potentially contribute to pancreatic cancer prevention and cancer in general.

1. Smokers should quit smoking; non-smokers should not introduce the habit in their lives. Smoking is a major risk factor of pancreatic cancer, and proves to be one of the most common causes. Despite being a tough choice to make, quitting is favourable because it does not merely reduce risks of the said disease; prevention and risk reduction also applies to a wide array of fatal diseases simultaneously.
   
   
2. Maintaining and striving to attain a healthy weight provides benefits that go beyond aesthetic satisfaction since it also reduces risks of a fatal disease. As such, regular exercise and progressive physical activity should be part of any individual’s routine.
   
   
3. Weight maintenance and weight loss also depends on what the individual eats. Ideally, it should consist of favourable supplements and a diverse mix of different types of fruits and vegetables that are rich in powerful antioxidants.
   
   
4. Limit intake of the following: red meat, and foods rich in animal fat. Apart from directly increasing cancer risks, these are also factors that contribute to obesity, which in turn renders people more vulnerable to cancer and other fatal conditions.
   
   
5. Avoid foods that lack sufficient amounts of nutrition.

The following provides more detailed information on risk-reducing beverages and foods due to their polyphenol contents:

1. Green Tea

   Green tea consists of powerful antioxidants through its polyphenols, the most popular of which is EGCG. Extracts have been shown to reduce the pancreatic cell growth while simultaneously aiding in the prevention of angiogenesis, decreasing the invasive activities of pancreatic cancerous cells, and in restraining increases in oxidative DNA impairment due to carcinogens.

   Amounts of green tea consumption and risk of pancreatic cancer is inversely related: Lowest pancreatic cancer risk was observed in those with highest green tea intake.

2. Curcumin

   It aids in the inhibition or reduction of NF-kappa B operations, which shows its involvement in regulating and inhibiting the growth of pancreatic cancer cells. It also inhibits the invasiveness of cancerous cells, their growth and development, along with hampering the development of tumour blood-vessels.

3. Geinstein

   Geinistein is a polyphenol that actively regulates sugar metabolism, which thus enables it to prevent cancer cell growth. It can potentially inhibit the growth of tumour cells through blocking enzymes necessary for tumour development. It has also been shown to reduce the development of tumour blood-vessels, inhibit the metastasis process, and cause apoptosis or suicide undertaken by cancerous cells.

4. Selenium and beta-carotene

   Based on studies involving live mice, selenium and beta-carotene can affect and inhibit azaserine-caused pancreatic tumour. Furthermore, another experiment conducted with golden hamsters showed that diets rich in selenium concentrations can significantly reduce carcinogen-induced pancreatic cancers. However, selenium will be safest and most efficient when taken in regulation.

Sources
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
nutraingredients-usa.com
lef.org
foodconsumer.org
medicinenet.com
mayoclinic.com