From the Guidelines
The known causes of pancreatic cancer include several risk factors that increase one's likelihood of developing this disease, with the most significant modifiable risk factor being smoking, accounting for about 25% of cases, as well as age, family history, and certain genetic syndromes, such as BRCA1/2 mutations, Lynch syndrome, and familial pancreatitis, as supported by recent studies 1.
Risk Factors
The risk factors for pancreatic cancer can be divided into several categories, including:
- Genetic factors: mutations in genes such as BRCA1, BRCA2, CDKN2A, and others, which can increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, with BRCA2 mutations being the most common cause of familial pancreatic cancer 1
- Environmental factors: smoking, which is the most significant modifiable risk factor, as well as exposure to certain chemicals, such as pesticides and petroleum compounds
- Dietary factors: a diet high in processed meats and low in fruits and vegetables, which can increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer
- Medical factors: chronic pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, and obesity, which can all increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer
Genetic Syndromes
Certain genetic syndromes can increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, including:
- BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, which are associated with an increased risk of breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancer
- Lynch syndrome, which is associated with an increased risk of colorectal, endometrial, and pancreatic cancer
- Familial pancreatitis, which is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer
Prevention and Early Detection
Understanding the risk factors for pancreatic cancer is important because the disease is often diagnosed at advanced stages when treatment options are limited, making prevention and early detection crucial. Prevention strategies, such as quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy diet, and avoiding exposure to certain chemicals, can help reduce the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, and early detection methods, such as screening for high-risk individuals, can help identify the disease at an earlier stage, when treatment options are more effective, as recommended by recent guidelines 1.
From the Research
Known Causes of Pancreatic Cancer
The known causes of pancreatic cancer can be categorized into environmental and genetic factors.
- Environmental factors:
- Inhalation of cigarette smoke 2
- Exposure to mutagenic nitrosamines, organ-chlorinated compounds, heavy metals, and ionizing radiations 2
- Pancreatitis, high doses of alcohol drinking, body microbial infections, obesity, diabetes, gallstones and/or cholecystectomy, and accumulation of asbestos fibers 2
- Lifestyle factors such as cigarette smoking, obesity, diabetes, and alcohol intake 3
- Genetic factors:
- Approximately 10% of pancreatic cancer cases are thought to be due to genetic factors 2, 4
- Germline mutations in genes such as BRCA2, PALB2, and ATM 4
- Hereditary cancer syndromes such as familial breast cancer (BRCA2), Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, and familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome 5
- Pathogenic variants in hereditary cancer genes and common variants identified in genome-wide association studies 3
Risk Factors
Certain risk factors can increase an individual's likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer, including: