Is prolonged use of alcohol a direct cause of pancreatic cancer?
Alcoholism can cause chronic pancreatitis (long-term inflammation of the pancreas), which can result in pancreatic cancer. Only about 4% of people with pancreatitis go on to develop pancreatic cancer, however. Alcoholism = chronic or acute pancreatitis = pancreatic cancer. No, it isn’t a direct cause. Pancreatic cancer, as pointed out by a previous poster, has many other causes. WebMD, Medline Plus, and Mayo Clinic are three of the most reliable medical information sites on the Internet.
