Prayers are being channeled to the Motor City from all parts of the globe following the shocking announcement that the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Franklin, 68, underwent a successful surgery last week to battle the disease and released a statement to fans insisting, “God is in control.”
But Franklin’s positivity aside, her diagnosis provides a unique opportunity to research the disease and uncover information that can be shared so others in our community can avoid the same unfortunate path that Franklin is now forced to journey.
The pancreas is an organ that is located in the abdomen and produces chemicals that are crucial to proper digestion and blood sugar regulation. Any interference with our insulin or enzyme levels wreaks havoc on our well being, whether it is due to genes or diet.
After conducting some research, our team discovered the following risk factors for pancreatic cancer as outlined by the UCLA Center for Pancreatic Diseases:
Age: Most pancreatic cancers occur in people over the age of 60.Gender: More men are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer than women.Race: African Americans are more likely than Asians, Hispanics or Caucasians to get pancreatic cancer.Smoking: Smokers are two to three times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than nonsmokers.Diabetes: Pancreatic cancer occurs more often in people who have diabetes than in people who do not.Obesity and diet: Eating a high-fat diet is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Research has shown that obese and even overweight men and women have a higher risk of dying from pancreatic cancerFamily history: A person’s chance of developing pancreatic cancer increases three-fold if a first-degree relative (mother, father, sister or brother) had pancreatic cancer. This risk increases the greater the number of first degree relatives who are affected. Melanoma that runs in families and certain hereditary forms of colon, breast and ovarian cancers are also associated with an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer.Chronic pancreatitis: Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, a painful disease of the pancreas. Some research suggests that having chronic pancreatitis may increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.Chemicals: Exposure to certain chemicals (such as pesticides, benzene, certain dyes and petrochemicals) may increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
At first glance, it would appear that Franklin’s weight played a role in her current battle with pancreatic cancer, as over the years she has struggled with her ability to maintain a healthy weight for her age and height. When it’s all said and done though, there’s no way that you can completely absolve yourself from the possibility of getting cancer. But you can work hard to adopt healthy living habits, which can dramatically improve your odds.
Get well soon Aretha. –djr
