Of the 18,700 people with PDAC identified, 4.7% also had gallstone disease.

Of those people, 1.6%had their gallbladders removed.

According to Park, when this occurs in research, its called detection bias.

A young Black female patient with belly pain being examined by an older white female doctor.

Natalia Gdovskaia/Getty

Keeping an eye on them for a potential cancer diagnosis down the road could be another one.

Gallstones are typically treated by removing the gallbladder.

Thepancreasis a gland behind the stomach.

It makesinsulinandenzymesthat help your small intestine digest food.

Gallstone disease can hurt the pancreas by blocking the pancreatic duct.

This lead to inflammationa condition known as gallstone pancreatitis.

If they cant eat, they may need to have a tube placed for nutrition.

If a person keeps getting attacks of pancreatitis, it usually means the condition has become chronic.

Sometimes, changing their diet can help but they may need surgery if its severe.

Therefore, there isnt a general population screening for pancreatic cancer like there is for other types of cancer.

Theres no one way to prevent pancreatic cancer.

Digestive Disease Week.Gallstone disease shown to be strong predictor of pancreatic cancer.

Siegel RL, Miller KD, Fuchs HE, Jemal A.Cancer statistics, 2022.CA A Cancer J Clinicians.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for pancreatitis.

American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer.

2020;159(1):358-362. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.03.088

American Cancer Society.Tests for pancreatic cancer.

American Cancer Society.Can pancreatic cancer be prevented?.