What are risk factors for pancreatic cancer?
There are some factors which can increase the risk of acquiring the genetic mutations that may potentially result in pancreatic cancer. These risk factors are outlined in the table below. You will notice that coffee and alcohol are not listed. Currently there is not strong evidence to suggest that consumption of either substance will increase your risk for developing cancer of the pancreas. • Cigarette smoking Cigarette smoke contains a large number of carcinogens (cancer causing chemicals). Therefore, it is not surprising that cigarette smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer. For example, smoking during college has been associated with a 2-3 fold increased risk of pancreatic cancer. • Age The risk of developing pancreatic cancer increases with age. Over 80% of the cases develop between the ages of 60 and 80. • Race Studies in the United States have shown that pancreatic cancer is more common in the African-American population than it is in the whit
