Risk Factors

Familial Pancreatic Cancer Registry A study to help define risk factors for pancreatic cancer more

Smoking is generally accepted as a major risk factor for cancer of the pancreas. Adenocarcinomas -- the glandular-cell growths that account for about 95 percent of pancreatic tumors -- are two to three times more common in heavy smokers than in nonsmokers.

Genetic alterations involved in pancreatic cancer include activation of the Kras oncogene and inactivation of tumor-suppressor genes such as p16 and p53. Pancreatic cancer has the highest frequency of Kras mutations among all human cancers. This frequency of Kras mutations, which are also linked to bladder and lung cancers, may be associated with smoking.

Other possible risk factors include the following:

• Family History

  An estimated 7 to 10 percent of patients with pancreatic cancer have a family history of the disease. A few hereditary syndromes, including familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome, familial breast cancer, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, and hereditary pancreatitis, account for a small percentage of pancreatic cancer cases. Mutations in the breast cancer-susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 have been found in some families with familial pancreatic cancer.

• Obesity

  Research has suggested that obesity (defined as having a body mass index of 30 or greater) is associated with a higher risk of pancreatic cancer. Additional studies are investigating whether physical inactivity and a diet high in meat and fats also may increase the risk of developing this disease.

• Advancing age

  Nearly 90 percent of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are over age 55. The disease can occur in younger people, and those with early-onset pancreatic cancer may not necessarily have a family history of the disease.

• No Allergies

  Several studies have found that the risk of developing pancreatic cancer is lower in people with certain types of allergies, particularly hay fever and atopic dermatitis.

• Male Gender

  More men than women are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

• Race

  African-Americans are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than Hispanics, Asian-Americans, or white Americans, and currently have the highest pancreatic cancer rates in the world.

• Diabetes

  There may be an association between pancreatic cancer and diabetes, although it has not been proven. Chronic pancreatitis has also been associated with pancreatic cancer, but the exact nature of the association is still under study.

• Environmental Factors

  Occupational exposure to carcinogens (such as asbestos, pesticides, dyes, and petrochemicals) has been associated with pancreatic cancer.

• Pancreatic Cysts

  Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN), a type of pancreatic cyst, is thought to be a common precursor to pancreatic cancer.