Most pancreatic cancers arise from the cells producing digestive juices, called exocrine cancers. Cancer also arises in pancreatic cells that produce hormones, known as endocrine cancers, but these prove to be rare.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the underlying cause of pancreatic cancer remains unknown. Identified risk factors for exocrine pancreatic cancer exist, but with imperfect accuracy. People without risk factors develop the disease and people with the risk factors do not.
Demographic Factors
The American Cancer Society states a number of risk factors for pancreatic cancer exist that simply cannot be changed: age, gender and race. The risk increases with age, with almost 90 percent of patients older than 55 and an average age at diagnosis of 72 years. Other risks show increased cancer for men more than women and blacks more than whites.
Behavioral Factors
Some risk factors for pancreatic cancer involve personal behavior choices. The risk triples among smokers, with smoking being attributed to 20 to 30 percent of exocrine pancreatic cancer cases. Additionally, people very overweight, and who lack regular exercise, increase their risk for pancreatic cancer.
While a link between pancreatic cancer and high-fat diets might exist, and while a diet high in fruits and vegetables might have protective effect, the American Cancer Society states that dietary factors require further study. Further statement includes that newer studies fail to confirm previously reported associations between coffee intake and risk of pancreatic cancer. No direct link exists between alcohol intake and pancreatic cancer, although alcohol does increase the risks for diabetes and chronic pancreatitis each of which positively associate.
Medical Conditions
Pancreatic cancer is more common in people with diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes. However, for some, the cancer seems to cause the diabetes rather than the diabetes causing the pancreatic cancer.
Chronic pancreatitis, a long-term inflammation of the pancreas, links with a slightly higher risk of pancreatic cancer. Smoking strengthens this link. For persons inheriting a gene mutation for chronic pancreatitis, the lifetime risk for developing pancreatic cancer reaches 75 percent.
Although not well understood, cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, also increases risk for pancreatic cancer. Risks include too much stomach acid or stomach infection with Helicobacter pylori.
Chemical Exposures
Heavy exposure to certain pesticides, dyes and chemicals associates with increase risk of getting cancer of the pancreas. While not specific to pancreatic cancer, the Centers for Disease Control lists potential occupational carcinogens on their site, including pesticides.
Family History
Cancer of the pancreas does run in some families, and many different inherited gene mutations include an increased risk for pancreatic cancer. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncologists, these include the breast cancer gene BRCA2, the colorectal cancer genes for Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer, the genes for hereditary pancreatitis and others.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Diseases and Conditions: Pancreatic Cancer: Basics: Risk Factors.
- American Cancer Society: Detailed Guide: Pancreatic Cancer What Are the Risk Factors for Cancer of the Pancreas?
- Centers for Disease Control: NIOSH: NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
- Cancer: All About Cancer: Genetics: the Genetics of Pancreatic Cancer
