Pancreatic Cancer

Causes

• Pancreatic cancers are more likely to exist in men than in women, and among African-Americans than among whites.
• Smoking cigarettes increases one's risk of pancreatic cancer by a factor of 2 or 3. Even smokeless tobacco has been noted as a risk factor.
• People who do not exercise much and who are obese are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.
• Those who eat diets low in vegetables and fruits and high in red meat and fat are more likely to be diagnosed with the disease. Processed meat are linked to huge increases in pancreatic cancer.
• Alcohol consumption is also considered a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Long term, heavy drinking leads to chronic pancreatitis, which is a known risk factor for pancreatic cancer.

Symptoms

Cancer symptoms are quite varied and depend on where the cancer is located, where it has spread, and how big the tumor is. Pancreatic cancer is often called a "silent" disease because it rarely shows early symptoms and presents non-specific later symptoms. Tumors of the pancreas cancers are usually too small to cause symptoms. However, when the cancer grows, symptoms include:

• man holding his stomach
• Pain in the upper abdomen from the tumor pushing against nerves
• A painless yellowing of the skin and eyes and darkening of the urine called jaundice, created when the cancer interferes with the bile duct and the liver.
• Loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting
• Significant weight loss and weakness
• Acholic stool (pale or grey stool) and steatorrhea (excess fat in stool)

Home remedies

• Some studies suggest that certain vitamins can reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer. Vitamin D has been associated with reducing the risk of several types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer. B vitamins such as B12, B6, and folate that are consumed in food (not in pill or tablet form) have also been suggested to reduce pancreatic cancer risk. Reports found that vitamin A, beta-carotene and lycopene in the diet might assist in fighting pancreatic cancer.
• Ginger and its constituents have been studied to inhibit Pancreatic Cancer.
• Turmeric is effective on Pancreatic Cancer as studies say.
• Fenugreek : Treatment with 10-15 ug/mL of FE for 72 h was growth inhibitory to breast, pancreatic and prostate cancer cell lines (PCa).
• Methanolic extract of Achyranthes aspera contains potent anti-proliferative compound with specific activity against pancreatic cancer. Further studies are needed to confirm the in vivo anti-tumorigenicity and subsequent chemical characterization of the active molecule(s).
• Papaya leaf tea is an effective remedy for cancer. A study at the University of Florida found that papaya slowed the growth of a wide variety of tumors, including those of the breast, lung, pancreas, cervix, and liver.
• Digestive Enzymes : Some reports from curing terminal pancreatic cancer with powerful, hybrid pancreatic juice protease. (see also : Enzymatic Therapy)
• The natural polyphenol in Green Tea known as ECGC has been shown to be particularly effective in lowering risk of a host of cancer cell lines including prostate, colon, esophagus, bladder and pancreas.
• Dandelion root extract was found to kill aggressive, treatment-resistant human pancreatic cancer cells without harming non-cancerous cells.
• Resveratrol : Pancreatic cancer cell proliferation is inhibited by resveratrol.
• Aronia berry : Aronia berries are rich in anthocyanins. These help protect your heart. They also help lower your risk for cancer. One 3.5 oz serving of these berries gives you more than 2,000 mg of antioxidant power.
• Limonoids have shown cytotoxicity to breast cancer, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, neuroblastoma, leukemia, melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer.
• apples : eating more apples, and adding more natural antioxidants into your meals, could be an important step. More research is needed before we can say definitively that quercetin and other polyphenols have therapeutic value against pancreatic cancer.
• Mint, specifically peppermint, contains a phytonutrient known as amonoterpene which has shown the capability to thwart the growth of tumors in the liver, breasts and pancreas in animals.
• High levels of selenium in the body appear to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer.
• Green Tea prevents cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, including cancers of the stomach, small intestine, pancreas, and colon; lung cancer, estrogen-related cancers, including most breast cancers; and prostate cancer.
• Black Cumin : In one recent study, black cumin seed oil was potent against pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest and most difficult to treat of all cancers.
• Graviola: a novel promising natural-derived drug that inhibits tumorigenicity and metastasis of pancreatic cancer
• Feverfew : In a clinical study published in the April 2005 issue of Molecular Cancer Therapies, researchers found that parthenolide from feverfew inhibited the growth of pancreatic cancer cells, and also contributed to the efficacy of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug in further helping suppress cancer cell growth. Researchers noted that this provided preclinical support for a combined chemotherapeutic approach in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, the subject of feverfew's ability to protect against cancer is still being studied.
• Bitter Melon : A new study has shown that the juice of bitter melon, a commonly eaten vegetable in Asia and Africa, markedly suppresses the growth of pancreatic tumors in mice by disrupting the cancer cells' metabolism of glucose, and literally starving them of the sugar they need to survive.
• Thunder God Vine (Lei Gong Teng) : the active compound triptolide has been shown to inhibit colorectal, pancreatic and ovarian cancers.
• nuts : consumption of nuts - including tree nuts such as almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts - is found to lower the risk of pancreatic cancer.
• Phellodendron : Researchers at UT Health Science Center stumbled upon the possibility of phellodendron as a pancreatic cancer treatment while researching the bark’s effect on prostate tumors.
• Ukrain is a drug based on the extract of the plant Chelidonium majus L (greater chelandine). It is claimed to be effective against a range of cancers.

Warnings

It should be noted that self-treating Cancer (or any other chronic condition) and avoiding or delaying standard care may be resulting in worsening condition or even incurabilty of the disease.

Medical Disclaimer

This information is not meant to be substituted for medical advice. Always consult a medical professional regarding any medical problems and before undertaking any treatment or dietary changes.