National Diary
HEALTH NEWS
Does processed meat really give you pancreatic cancer?
Researchers in Sweden have found that eating 50 grams of processed meat, the equivalent too two rashers of bacon or one large sausage, increases your risk of pancreatic cancer by 20%. But the World Cancer Research fund says that pancreatic cancer may be linked to obesity. Are we a nation of obese, obsessive processed meat eaters? Eating red meat frequently, has previously been linked to Bowel cancer in addition to this the government, at the beginning of 2011, recommended people to eat 70 grams or less of red meat each day in addition pancreatic cancer is now the 11th most common cancer in the uk. The British Journal of Cancer investigated approximately 6,650 patients suffering with pancreatic cancer. The results established that eating 50 grams of processed meat every day does increase the risk of you getting pancreatic cancer by about 19%, therefore the more processed meat you eat the bigger the risk of you becoming ill with pancreatic cancer, so if you eat 100 grams of processed meat each day you are 38% more likely to get pancreatic cancer. This is the true story of someone who suffered pancreatic cancer: “It started in September 1999 when I was working in a Special School and finding it hard to be as active as normal. I was 57. By the November I felt very tired, and took two days off……………the first time in my working life I was not well ! I went to the doctor three times, but by December I was looking yellow. I was told I had stress. This was stupid, so I went to see my old Doctor who was semi-retired. He immediately sent me to the local hospital in Southend. I had a scan, was told my bile duct was constricted by a tumour and it was pancreatic cancer. A stent was inserted, and gradually the bile would flow away. The doctor said I was in-
operable, and had about four months to live. My wife refused to accept this, and got the name of a specialist at the Royal London. We spent two horrible weeks waiting to see if an appointment would come. After my notes were lost my wife phoned the Royal London and got me an appointment to meet the surgeon in London in early January 2000. He questioned me at length, sent me for another scan, and I had to be back in the Royal London the next day. I returned, got in bed, was tested and told an operation would be next morning. At about 6.30 next morning I went down, and the next thing I knew was coming round three days later in a ward. It was then I found I had had a Whipple Procedure. I spent four weeks in hospital, and then went home. I was able to return to part-time work in the May. I continued my recovery, and was delighted to go back full-time in September 2000.I was closely monitored by my doctor for two or three years, then every six months, then annually. Because all the tumour was out I didn`t have chemo. I am now 67, very active and feel good. It`s true I have had other illnesses since 2000, (phlebitus, bad reflux, dehydration) but I got over these. I had a wife who wouldn`t accept my fate and a brilliant top surgeon, and team, to do the op. I look forward to whatever comes along now. Mick” This story is written by Mick himself, from the Pancreatic Cancer Action website. This shows people can recover if they believe in themselves they can get better and they do. Mick is not the only person many people have written their stories of how they got through pancreatic cancer, so if you want to read some of these amazing, heartwarming, recovery stories go to: http://pancreaticcanceraction.org/getinvolved/survivor-stories/.