Pancreatic Cancer. Why Me?

Posted by sandlerkenner on December 29th, 2014

Asking “why me?” is certainly a normal part of the process of learning you have cancer. It is a diagnosis that can catch you off guard and you will likely find yourself wondering how this happened to you. How did you come to this place in your life? Cancer doesn’t make sense and it isn’t fair. You can have an amazing diet and practice other healthy lifestyle choices and still find yourself victim to cancer. Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason. But there are some things to keep in mind when it comes to connecting the dots to a cancer diagnosis.

Smoking and other tobacco use.

It is no surprise that there is a huge connection between tobacco use and cancer. Smoking, tobacco use in other forms, and even exposure to secondhand smoke can dramatically increase your risk for developing many forms of cancer.

Sun exposure.

Exposure to UV rays without using protective sunscreen can also dramatically increase your risk of developing skin cancer.

Pollution and other carcinogens.

Ongoing exposure to pollution in our environment, as well as exposure to carcinogens such as chemicals and materials that may be as close to us as in our homes increases our risk of cancer.

Lifestyle.

Living a sedentary lifestyle with poor eating habits can very much increase your risk of developing certain types of cancer, as can obesity. Additionally, alcohol use is also connected to cancer. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables and regular exercise helps to minimize risk.

Genetics.

In some cases, the development of cancer has nothing whatsoever to do with anything other than genetics. It is certainly not fair indeed, but the fact remains that a family history of cancer increases your risk of developing cancer as well.

There will never be a good enough explanation for anyone to accept their diagnosis of cancer. Ultimately, it comes down to accepting our diagnosis as best we can and doing what we can do to get the best treatment available to us so that we can get healthy as quickly as possible.

About Author
The Sandler-Kenner Foundation was started by Gregory A. Echt, M.D. and his wife, Susan T. Echt, after they lost two of their dear friends, Michael and Peter, to premature deaths from pancreatic cancer.