Still concerned with Aretha and her supposed diagnosis with pancreatic cancer, I just read about what causes you to get it:

Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms

Pancreatic cancer often goes undetected until it's advanced and difficult to treat. In the vast majority of cases, symptoms only develop after pancreatic cancer has grown and begun to spread. What are the symptoms of pancreatic cancer, and can any symptoms lead to earlier detection?

Because more than 95% of pancreatic cancer is the adenocarcinoma type, we'll describe those symptoms first, followed by symptoms of rare forms of pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms: Location Matters

Initially, pancreatic cancer tends to be silent and painless as it grows. By the time it's large enough to cause symptoms, pancreatic cancer has generally grown outside the pancreas. At this point, symptoms depend on the cancer's location within the pancreas:

• Pancreatic cancer in the head of the pancreas tends to cause symptoms such as weight loss, jaundice (yellow skin), and fat in the stool, with or without abdominal pain.
• Pancreatic cancer in the body or tail of the pancreas usually causes belly pain and weight loss.

In general, symptoms appear earlier from pancreatic cancers in the head of the pancreas, compared to those in the body and tail.

Pancreatic Cancer: Gastrointestinal Symptoms

Because pancreatic cancer grows around important areas of the digestive system, gastrointestinal symptoms often predominate:

• Abdominal pain. More than 80% of people with pancreatic cancer eventually experience some abdominal pain as the tumor grows. Pancreatic cancer can cause a dull ache in the upper belly and back pain. The pain may come and go.
• Bloating. Some people with pancreatic cancer have a sense of early fullness with meals (satiety) or an uncomfortable swelling in the abdomen.
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Fat in the stool (steatorrhea). As pancreatic cancer reduces the pancreas' ability to secrete fat-digesting enzymes, more fat ends up in the stool. These fatty stools can be strange-smelling, and float more than normal.
• Pale-colored stools. If the duct draining bile into the intestine is blocked by pancreatic cancer, the stools may lose their brown color and become pale or clay-colored. Urine may become darker.

Pancreatic Cancer: Constitutional (Whole-Body) Symptoms

As it grows and spreads, pancreatic cancer affects the whole body. Constitutional symptoms can include:

• Weight loss
• Malaise
• Loss of appetite
• Elevated blood sugars. Some people with pancreatic cancer develop diabetes as the cancer impairs the pancreas' ability to produce insulin. (However, the vast majority of people with a new diagnosis of diabetes do not have pancreatic cancer.)

Pancreatic Cancer: Skin Symptoms

Jaundice: As pancreatic cancer blocks the duct that releases bile into the intestine (common bile duct), the ingredients of bile build up in the blood. This turns the skin and the eyes yellow, a condition called jaundice.

Itching: People with pancreatic cancer sometimes report itching all over. Blockage of the bile ducts is often responsible.

Symptoms From Rare Pancreatic Cancers

Islet cell tumors, also called neuroendocrine tumors, arise from the cells in the pancreas that make hormones. These may be malignant (cancer) or benign (not cancer). Islet cell tumors are quite rare.

Like pancreatic adenocarcinoma, islet cell pancreatic cancer can cause abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea, and vomiting. Either benign or malignant islet cell tumors can produce excess amounts of hormones. Hormones released by an islet cell tumor can also cause symptoms:

• Insulinomas (excess insulin): sweating, anxiety, lightheadedness, and fainting from low blood sugar.
• Glucagonomas (excess glucagon): diarrhea, excessive thirst or urination, weight loss.
• Gastrinomas (excess gastrin): abdominal pain, nonhealing stomach ulcers, reflux, weight loss.
• Somatostatinomas (excess somatostatin): weight loss, abdominal pain, foul-smelling fatty stools.
• VIPomas (excess vasoactive intestinal peptide): abdominal cramping, watery diarrhea, facial flushing.

Pancreatic Cancer's Sneaky Symptoms

In a very small number of people with pancreatic cancer, early symptoms might be present that could lead to earlier diagnosis. Unfortunately, researchers have been unable to identify any predictable pattern. One study that surveyed 305 people with pancreatic cancer illustrated the challenge:

• About 4% reported having a sudden disgust for preferred tastes (like coffee, smoking, or wine) that preceded other symptoms by more than six months.
• 5% of people had loss of appetite, a feeling of early fullness with meals, or profound weakness, more than six months before more obvious symptoms developed.
• 1% of people had attacks of acute pancreatitis more than six months before their diagnosis with pancreatic cancer.

The rarity of these situations points out the difficulty of using early symptoms to catch pancreatic cancer at a curable stage.

That said, symptoms like weight loss, persistent loss of appetite, or light-colored stools should always prompt concern. Consistent or worsening discomfort, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea are also worrisome. If you feel something's not right, see your doctor.

so what causes you to get it? alcoholism?

(I looked it up on Wikipedia)

Causes

Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include:^[6][9]

• Age (particularly over 60)^[6]
• Male sex (likelihood up to 30% greater than females)
• Smoking. Cigarette smoking has a risk ratio of 1.74 with regard to pancreatic cancer; a decade of nonsmoking after heavy smoking is associated with a risk ratio of 1.2.^[10]
• Diets low in vegetables and fruits^[11]
• Diets high in red meat^[12]
• Diets high in sugar-sweetened drinks (soft drinks) - risk ratio 1.87.^[13] In particular, the common soft drink sweetener fructose has been linked to growth of pancreatic cancer cells.^[14]
• Obesity^[15]
• Diabetes mellitus is both risk factor for pancreatic cancer, and, as noted earlier, new onset diabetes can be an early sign of the disease.
• Chronic pancreatitis has been linked, but is not known to be causal. The risk of pancreatic cancer in individuals with familial pancreatitis is particularly high.
• Helicobacter pylori infection
• Family history, 5–10% of pancreatic cancer patients have a family history of pancreatic cancer. The genes responsible for most of this clustering in families have yet to be identified. Pancreatic cancer has been associated with the following syndromes; autosomal recessive ataxia-telangiectasia and autosomal dominantly inherited mutations in the BRCA2 gene and PALB2 gene, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome due to mutations in the STK11 tumor suppressor gene, hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer (Lynch syndrome), familial adenomatous polyposis, and the familial atypical multiple mole melanoma-pancreatic cancer syndrome (FAMMM-PC) due to mutations in the CDKN2A tumor suppressor gene.^[2][16]
• Gingivitis or periodontal disease^[17]

Australia and Canada, members of the International Cancer Genome Consortium, are leading efforts to map pancreatic cancer's complete genome.^{[citation needed]}

Alcohol

It is controversial whether alcohol consumption is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Drinking alcohol excessively is a major cause of chronic pancreatitis, which in turn predisposes to pancreatic cancer. However, chronic pancreatitis associated with alcohol consumption does not increase risk of pancreatic cancer as much as other types of chronic pancreatitis.^[18] Overall, the association is consistently weak and the majority of studies have found no association.^{[19][20][21][22]}

Some studies suggest a relationship,^[23] with risk increasing with increasing amount of alcohol intake.^[24][25] Risk is greatest in heavy drinkers^[26][27][28] mostly on the order of four or more drinks per day.^[29] But there appears to be no increased risk for people consuming up to 30g of alcohol a day,^[22][30] so most of the U.S. consumes alcohol at a level that "is probably not a risk factor for pancreatic cancer".^[28]

Several studies caution that their findings could be due to confounding factors.^[27][31] Even if a link exists, it "could be due to the contents of some alcoholic beverages"^[32] other than the alcohol itself. One Dutch study even found that drinkers of white wine had lower risk.^[33]

A pooled analysis concluded, "Our findings are consistent with a modest increase in risk of pancreatic cancer with consumption of 30 or more grams of alcohol per day".^[34]

ZombieKitten said:

so what causes you to get it? alcoholism?

(I looked it up on Wikipedia)

Causes

Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include:^[6][9]

• Age (particularly over 60)^[6]
• Male sex (likelihood up to 30% greater than females)
• Smoking. Cigarette smoking has a risk ratio of 1.74 with regard to pancreatic cancer; a decade of nonsmoking after heavy smoking is associated with a risk ratio of 1.2.^[10]
• Diets low in vegetables and fruits^[11]
• Diets high in red meat^[12]
• Diets high in sugar-sweetened drinks (soft drinks) - risk ratio 1.87.^[13] In particular, the common soft drink sweetener fructose has been linked to growth of pancreatic cancer cells.^[14]
• Obesity^[15]
• Diabetes mellitus is both risk factor for pancreatic cancer, and, as noted earlier, new onset diabetes can be an early sign of the disease.
• Chronic pancreatitis has been linked, but is not known to be causal. The risk of pancreatic cancer in individuals with familial pancreatitis is particularly high.
• Helicobacter pylori infection
• Family history, 5–10% of pancreatic cancer patients have a family history of pancreatic cancer. The genes responsible for most of this clustering in families have yet to be identified. Pancreatic cancer has been associated with the following syndromes; autosomal recessive ataxia-telangiectasia and autosomal dominantly inherited mutations in the BRCA2 gene and PALB2 gene, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome due to mutations in the STK11 tumor suppressor gene, hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer (Lynch syndrome), familial adenomatous polyposis, and the familial atypical multiple mole melanoma-pancreatic cancer syndrome (FAMMM-PC) due to mutations in the CDKN2A tumor suppressor gene.^[2][16]
• Gingivitis or periodontal disease^[17]

Australia and Canada, members of the International Cancer Genome Consortium, are leading efforts to map pancreatic cancer's complete genome.^{[citation needed]}

Alcohol

It is controversial whether alcohol consumption is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Drinking alcohol excessively is a major cause of chronic pancreatitis, which in turn predisposes to pancreatic cancer. However, chronic pancreatitis associated with alcohol consumption does not increase risk of pancreatic cancer as much as other types of chronic pancreatitis.^[18] Overall, the association is consistently weak and the majority of studies have found no association.^{[19][20][21][22]}

Some studies suggest a relationship,^[23] with risk increasing with increasing amount of alcohol intake.^[24][25] Risk is greatest in heavy drinkers^[26][27][28] mostly on the order of four or more drinks per day.^[29] But there appears to be no increased risk for people consuming up to 30g of alcohol a day,^[22][30] so most of the U.S. consumes alcohol at a level that "is probably not a risk factor for pancreatic cancer".^[28]

Several studies caution that their findings could be due to confounding factors.^[27][31] Even if a link exists, it "could be due to the contents of some alcoholic beverages"^[32] other than the alcohol itself. One Dutch study even found that drinkers of white wine had lower risk.^[33]

A pooled analysis concluded, "Our findings are consistent with a modest increase in risk of pancreatic cancer with consumption of 30 or more grams of alcohol per day".^[34]

I read up on it, I don't know. Some say it doesn't cause it... But they did list smoking as one cause.

Isn't that how Bill Hicks went? Man, i miss his view on the world.

Timmy84 said:

ZombieKitten said:

so what causes you to get it? alcoholism?

(I looked it up on Wikipedia)

Causes

Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include:^[6][9]

• Age (particularly over 60)^[6]
• Male sex (likelihood up to 30% greater than females)
• Smoking. Cigarette smoking has a risk ratio of 1.74 with regard to pancreatic cancer; a decade of nonsmoking after heavy smoking is associated with a risk ratio of 1.2.^[10]
• Diets low in vegetables and fruits^[11]
• Diets high in red meat^[12]
• Diets high in sugar-sweetened drinks (soft drinks) - risk ratio 1.87.^[13] In particular, the common soft drink sweetener fructose has been linked to growth of pancreatic cancer cells.^[14]
• Obesity^[15]
• Diabetes mellitus is both risk factor for pancreatic cancer, and, as noted earlier, new onset diabetes can be an early sign of the disease.
• Chronic pancreatitis has been linked, but is not known to be causal. The risk of pancreatic cancer in individuals with familial pancreatitis is particularly high.
• Helicobacter pylori infection
• Family history, 5–10% of pancreatic cancer patients have a family history of pancreatic cancer. The genes responsible for most of this clustering in families have yet to be identified. Pancreatic cancer has been associated with the following syndromes; autosomal recessive ataxia-telangiectasia and autosomal dominantly inherited mutations in the BRCA2 gene and PALB2 gene, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome due to mutations in the STK11 tumor suppressor gene, hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer (Lynch syndrome), familial adenomatous polyposis, and the familial atypical multiple mole melanoma-pancreatic cancer syndrome (FAMMM-PC) due to mutations in the CDKN2A tumor suppressor gene.^[2][16]
• Gingivitis or periodontal disease^[17]

Australia and Canada, members of the International Cancer Genome Consortium, are leading efforts to map pancreatic cancer's complete genome.^{[citation needed]}

Alcohol

It is controversial whether alcohol consumption is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Drinking alcohol excessively is a major cause of chronic pancreatitis, which in turn predisposes to pancreatic cancer. However, chronic pancreatitis associated with alcohol consumption does not increase risk of pancreatic cancer as much as other types of chronic pancreatitis.^[18] Overall, the association is consistently weak and the majority of studies have found no association.^{[19][20][21][22]}

Some studies suggest a relationship,^[23] with risk increasing with increasing amount of alcohol intake.^[24][25] Risk is greatest in heavy drinkers^[26][27][28] mostly on the order of four or more drinks per day.^[29] But there appears to be no increased risk for people consuming up to 30g of alcohol a day,^[22][30] so most of the U.S. consumes alcohol at a level that "is probably not a risk factor for pancreatic cancer".^[28]

Several studies caution that their findings could be due to confounding factors.^[27][31] Even if a link exists, it "could be due to the contents of some alcoholic beverages"^[32] other than the alcohol itself. One Dutch study even found that drinkers of white wine had lower risk.^[33]

A pooled analysis concluded, "Our findings are consistent with a modest increase in risk of pancreatic cancer with consumption of 30 or more grams of alcohol per day".^[34]

I read up on it, I don't know. Some say it doesn't cause it... But they did list smoking as one cause.

HEAVY drinkers are at much greater risk

ScottRob said:

Isn't that how Bill Hicks went? Man, i miss his view on the world.

Yep

ZombieKitten said:

Timmy84 said:

I read up on it, I don't know. Some say it doesn't cause it... But they did list smoking as one cause.

HEAVY drinkers are at much greater risk

According to reports, Aretha was an alcoholic until probably the early '90s. She also stopped smoking cigarettes during this time allegedly.

Timmy84 said:

ZombieKitten said:

HEAVY drinkers are at much greater risk

According to reports, Aretha was an alcoholic until probably the early '90s. She also stopped smoking cigarettes during this time allegedly.

Poor thing. She tried, but the damage was already done.

If you read through the risk factors, she could probably tick all the boxes.

ZombieKitten said:

Timmy84 said:

According to reports, Aretha was an alcoholic until probably the early '90s. She also stopped smoking cigarettes during this time allegedly.

Poor thing. She tried, but the damage was already done.

If you read through the risk factors, she could probably tick all the boxes.

Yeah that's why I keep hearing stories that Aretha is still in a bad medical shape.

Timmy84 said:

ZombieKitten said:

Poor thing. She tried, but the damage was already done.

If you read through the risk factors, she could probably tick all the boxes.

Yeah that's why I keep hearing stories that Aretha is still in a bad medical shape.

even if the threat of pancreatic cancer wasn't the icing on the cake for her

ZombieKitten said:

Timmy84 said:

Yeah that's why I keep hearing stories that Aretha is still in a bad medical shape.

even if the threat of pancreatic cancer wasn't the icing on the cake for her

Yeah I'm just gonna hope Aretha beats this somehow.

Self diagnosis usually leads to paranoia!

minneapolisFunq said:

Self diagnosis usually leads to paranoia!

Timmy is Aretha?

ZombieKitten said:

minneapolisFunq said:

Self diagnosis usually leads to paranoia!

Timmy is Aretha?

Jesus...

Timmy84 said:

ZombieKitten said:

Timmy is Aretha?

Jesus...

My grandmother died of pancreatic cancer. She was not overwieght, wasn't a smoker, didn't drink, and didn't have periodontal disease. Of course leaving on the South of Chicago since the early 20th century around steel mills and companies that produce chemicals may have been a cause. It's funny when they make these list of risk factors, they never speak of environmental pollution or contamintaed water. I wonder why?

The one thing my grandmother had in common with Sista Franklin, cancer runs in my family, maybe we should leave at that.

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[Edited 12/30/10 6:04am]

bloating in women can also be a sign of uterine, cervical or ovarian cancer.

BlackAdder7 said:

bloating in women can also be a sign of uterine, cervical or ovarian cancer.

I've heard that too.

They also often say pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers to get because people don't know how it starts out or how it spreads. Usually when someone detests pancreatic cancer, it's often at advanced stages but then again Patrick Swayze and Michael Landon died when age wasn't a factor in their deaths at all. Patrick was only 57 and Michael just 50.

Timmy84 said:

ZombieKitten said:

HEAVY drinkers are at much greater risk

According to reports, Aretha was an alcoholic until probably the early '90s. She also stopped smoking cigarettes during this time allegedly.

And Patrick Swayze smoked a lot, I believe

NDRU said:

Timmy84 said:

According to reports, Aretha was an alcoholic until probably the early '90s. She also stopped smoking cigarettes during this time allegedly.

And Patrick Swayze smoked a lot, I believe

He also had an alcoholic problem.

And he's survived it NINE YEARS!

BlackAdder7 said:

bloating in women can also be a sign of uterine, cervical or ovarian cancer, having eaten an entire pumpkin in one go, guzzling helium and eating inflated balloons.

pancreatic cancer runs in our family, not helium ballons. it's what got my dad.

^ I hear some get it if cancer runs in the family and if pancreatic cancer claimed other relatives. It's also reportedly more of a problem from male patients but female patients also suffer a great deal.

I know a man who only ate healthy (a scientist type), ran a mile or two a day, and didn't smoke or drink. He got pancreatic cancer.

ufoclub said:

I know a man who only ate healthy (a scientist type), ran a mile or two a day, and didn't smoke or drink. He got pancreatic cancer.

Yeah I read stories on people who were healthy all their lives and still got it.