November was pancreatic cancer awareness month. December was my dad's birthday month. Somehow makes sense to post this link.
I'm getting in touch with this disease for the first time. I've always been afraid to read about it. It is a disease that is largely as lethal today as it was 35 years ago.
Things I didn't know:
The incidence of pancreatic cancer is highest between 60 and 80 years of age, and is only rarely seen in people under 40.
Cigarette smokers are two to three times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer.
The actual cause of this disease is not known, but is thought to be a result of a combination of inherited genetic changes and changes caused by environmental exposures.
A person's risk triples if their mother, father, or siblings have had the disease.
This I knew:
Unfortunately, medical treatment (chemotherapy and radiation) for pancreatic cancer does not result in many cures.
If you were thinking of donating to this blog over the holidays, send a few bucks to PanCan instead in honor of my dad: Alphonse Dimino. And lemme know if you do so I can say thanks.
more later....
