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Your risk might be high if you have a strong family history of pancreatic cancer or if you have an inherited DNA change that increases the risk of cancer. Pancreatic cancer screening might involve imaging tests, such as MRI and ultrasound.
Being very overweight (obese) is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Obese people (body mass index [BMI] of 30 or more) are about 20% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer. Carrying extra weight around the waistline may be a risk factor even in people who are not very overweight.
Risk factors that have been scientifically proven to have biological or genetic links to pancreatic cancer are cigarette smoking, chronic pancreatitis and family history. Dr. Richard Burkhart of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center reviews these risk factors and more.
For people in families at high risk of pancreatic cancer, newer tests for detecting pancreatic cancer early may help. The two most common tests are an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) or MRI/magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). (To learn more, see Tests for Pancreatic Cancer.)
Doctors have identified some factors that may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, including smoking, diabetes, chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), obesity, and family history, but the cause is not clear.
Pancreatic Cancer Risk Factors. Certain risk factors may increase the likelihood of getting pancreatic cancer, like family history, race (ethnicity), smoking, diabetes, obesity, age and others. Are You at Risk? Take the Pancreatic Cancer Risk Test.
What are the risk factors for pancreatic cancer? Anyone can get pancreatic cancer, although the risk increases with age. “It’s usually diagnosed in people over the age of 60,” says Dr. Farrell.
The review identified 19 studies that included 7,085 individuals at high risk of pancreatic cancer. From that group, 1,660 were evaluated by EUS, MRI or both, 59 high-risk lesions were identified (43 adenocarcinomas), and 257 patients underwent pancreatic surgery.
If you have pancreatic cancer or are close to someone who does, knowing what to expect can help you cope. Here you can find out all about pancreatic cancer, including risk factors, symptoms, how it is found, and how it is treated.
Anything that increases your chance of developing pancreatic cancer is a risk factor. Some risk factors can be changed, while others cannot. Risk factors that can be changed include: Smoking and tobacco use: People who smoke are about twice as likely to develop pancreatic cancer.