A new study suggests that a diet rich in simple carbohydrates may be linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

Although pancreatic cancer is a relatively uncommon type of cancer, it is often fatal because symptoms do not usually occur until the disease is advanced and has spread to other areas of the body.

In the study, researchers reviewed the diets of nearly 1,000 Italian adults with and without pancreatic cancer. The authors found that total carbohydrate consumption was not related to pancreatic cancer risk.

However, they found that people who ate carbohydrates with high glycemic indexes were 78 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those who primarily ate foods with low-glycemic indexes.

The glycemic index is a numerical value (0-100) that ranks carbohydrates based on how quickly the body converts them into glucose. A high value indicates that the food causes a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. Pure glucose has a glycemic index of 100. Examples of foods with high glycemic indexes include white bread, potatoes and pretzels.

In contrast, fruits, which have low glycemic indexes, were linked to a lower risk of pancreatic cancer.

Additional research is needed to fully understand the potential relationship between simple carbohydrates and prostate cancer risk.

Other foods, such as red meat, pork and processed meat, have also been associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. Additional risk factors may also include age, smoking history, genetics, obesity, ethnicity, occupational exposure to certain chemicals and preexisting medical conditions (such as chronic pancreatitis and stomach problems).

For more information about pancreatic cancer, please visit Natural Standard's Medical Conditions database.

1. Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com
2. Rossi M, Lipworth L, Polesel J, et al. Dietary glycemic index and glycemic load and risk of pancreatic cancer: a case-control study. Ann Epidemiol. 2010 Jun;20(6):460-5. View Abstract