Erlanger Logo

Search

Common Search Terms

Search

Common Search Terms
Home / Medical Services / Cancer / Oncology / Cancer Types / Pancreatic Cancer / Risk Factors & Early Detection

Risk Factors

Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic Cancer

Risk factors you may be able to control:

Knowledge is power. You can lower your risk for pancreatic cancer by changing unhealthy lifestyle behaviors you can control, such as smoking, drinking alcohol and being overweight. 

  • Smoking, and tobacco use raises risk considerably.
  • Obesity (BMI over 30 not due to muscle mass); presently, or with prior history, possibly with loss from Bariatric surgery)
  • Chronic pancreatitis, sometimes associated with alcohol use, sometimes without known cause, or pancreatitis that runs in families increases risk of development of pancreatic cancer. All patients with chronic pancreatitis should be monitored by a gastroenterologist.

Risk factors that you cannot control, but knowledge of increased risk may aid early detection:

If the risks cannot be controlled, be aware of the risks you may have, so early diagnosis may be more likely.

  • Gender: Men develop pancreatic cancer slightly more often than women.
  • Age: The risk of developing it increases with age.
  • Race: African Americans are more likely to get pancreatic cancer than other racial groups.
The Importance of Early Detection

The five-year survival rate has more than doubled in the last two decades. Early detection is a key factor in improved survival, along with advances in therapeutic options. Early detection gives us more options for treatment, and treatment is more likely to be effective the sooner the cancer is caught.  

Monitoring Cysts and Understanding Family History

Precancerous pancreatic cysts can be monitored through the Erlanger Pancreatic Cyst Surveillance Program, conducted with the advanced Gastroenterology program for periodic testing.

Family history of pancreas or other cancers, such as breast, colorectal or personal history of certain cancers, or any new confirmed pancreatic cancer should prompt high risk genetics evaluation.

Some of the genetic associations to pancreatic cancer include BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations which also can cause hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, and Lynch syndrome, an inherited disorder associated with colon cancer. The Erlanger High Risk & Cancer Genetics Program offers counseling, review of your family history for cancer as it may relate to other family members, testing, monitoring of available screening and updated testing as available.