Risk factors for pancreatic cancer
Having risk factors for pancreatic cancer doesn’t mean you’ll develop the disease. Although you can’t change all risk factors, making positive lifestyle changes may reduce your overall risk.
Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include:
- Older age: Pancreatic cancer usually develops after age 65.
- Unhealthy diet: Eating a lot of red and processed meats and few vegetables puts you at greater risk.
- Excess weight: Obesity increases your risk for developing pancreatic cancer.
- Smoking: Heavy smoking may contribute to the development of pancreatic cancer.
- Family history: If one or more of your family members have had pancreatic cancer, you may be at increased risk.
- Pancreatic cysts: Noncancerous cysts carry a small risk of turning into aggressive pancreatic cancer.
Is pancreatic cancer hereditary?
Experts estimate that a small percentage (10 percent) of pancreatic cancer cases are hereditary. Hereditary cancers are caused by gene mutations (abnormalities in your DNA) that can be passed down in families.
Most people associate the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations with an increased breast cancer risk. However, these genetic mutations also put you at greater risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Many other gene mutations can also increase pancreatic cancer risk. It is important to know your family history of cancer.
Managing risk factors for pancreatic cancer
While there is no standard screening method for pancreatic cancer, people at higher risk for the disease have specialized surveillance options. If you’ve been found to have a higher than average risk of pancreatic cancer, your doctor may recommend a combination of genetic testing and annual pancreas imaging with MRI, CT or endoscopic ultrasound.
Our goal is to identify pancreatic tumors at earlier stages, when treatment may be more effective. Learn more about Penn Medicine’s Pancreatic Cancer Risk Management Program.
You may be eligible for the Pancreatic Cancer Risk Management Program if you have:
- Family members diagnosed with pancreatic cancer: At least two affected relatives on the same side of your family or at least one close biological relative, such as a parent, sibling or child.
- Certain genetic mutations: A genetic mutation in BRCA1, BRCA2 or any of the Lynch syndrome gene mutations are connected to pancreatic risk.
- Hereditary pancreatitis
Rated “exceptional” by The National Cancer Institute
Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center is a world leader in cancer research, patient care, and education. Our status as a national leader in cancer care is reflected in our continuous designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) since 1973, one of 7 such centers in the United States. The ACC is also a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, one of a select few cancer centers in the U.S., that are working to promote equitable access to high-quality, advanced cancer care.