Deadly cancer type linked to obesity and high stress levels

Obesity and stress could magnify the risk of one of the most aggressive types of cancer, a new study suggests.

In the study, mice that ate a high-fat diet were more likely to develop precancerous lesions. When stress levels were also raised through social isolation, the lesions grew even more.

The stress-related cancer risk was more pronounced in female mice.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest types in the U.S., with a five-year survival rate of just 13%.

One of the biggest challenges with the disease is that it's often detected at a late stage when the disease is already advanced, according to Dr. Robert Den, a radiation oncologist, professor of radiation oncology, and chief medical officer at Alpha Tau Medical in Israel.

"Unlike some other cancers, there are no effective early screening tools, so by the time a patient is diagnosed, treatment options are often limited," Den, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

"Stress and its associated pathways can exacerbate disease progression, and we know that obesity fuels certain cancers, potentially impacting a patient's response to treatment," he said.

Mindfulness can also play a key role in reducing cancer risk, the doctor advised.

"Most immunotherapies, which have been revolutionary in other cancers, have not shown the same promise in pancreatic cancer," he said. 

"The key challenge is finding ways to help patients who are not candidates for surgery, as surgery remains the best line of defense."

Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for comment.