Pancreatic Cancer Risk Factors

Pancreas (Pancreatic) Cancer: "Advancing age is the strongest risk factor for pancreatic cancer, with the vast majority of cases occurring after the age of 60 years. There is also a clear association between cigarette smoking and pancreatic cancer; however, the roles of diet, alcohol, and coffee have not been substantiated and should not be considered proven risk factors.

Two common diseases which have been actively studied regarding their possible association with pancreatic cancer are diabetes and chronic pancreatitis. Multiple studies have come up with conflicting results, and so at present we cannot say that these diseases definitely are risk factors for the development of pancreatic cancer. More commonly, these diseases may represent an early symptom of pancreatic cancer rather than a direct cause of it.

There are also several genetic syndromes that have been associated with an increased incidence of pancreatic cancer, including hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, familial atypical multiple mole-melanoma, and certain types of hereditary breast cancer (those caused by the BRCA2 mutation)."