A risk factor can be anything that accelerates one’s chances of getting a disease. The risk factors for different forms of cancer are different. Certain risk factors can be altered or controlled, such as smoking, while others cannot be, such as age or family history. In this article, we list some key risk factors for pancreatic cancer.

1. Age
One’s risk of developing pancreatic cancer heightens with age. Usually, pancreatic cancer is more prevalent in people over 45 years. As a matter of fact, 90 percent of people with the disease are over 55, and 70 percent of people with the disease are over 65. But, typically, adults, regardless of their age, may be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

2. Obesity
A study involving 88,000 nurses established that the ones with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 were at a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Those who are physically active lower their risk of developing pancreatic cancer by fifty percent than those who don’t engage in any physical activity.

3. Smoking
Cigarette smoking is one of the key risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Smokers have twice the risk of developing pancreatic cancer than those who don’t smoke. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), approximately 25 percent of pancreatic cancer cases are an outcome of cigarette smoking.

4. Race
Pancreatic cancer is more prevalent in African Americans. So far, there is no clarity on why this happens. However, this risk may be amplified because of the other socio-economic factors, cigarette smoking, and obesity. At present, there is no comprehensive genetic study to conclude that it may be because of an inherited or underlying genetic activity. It is also noted that Black patients do worse after cancer diagnosis. The survival rate in white patients is typically greater than that in Black patients.

5. Family history
Pancreatic cancer can even be passed down from generation to the other. About 10 percent of all pancreatic cancer cases falls under this category. If one has more than three first-degree relatives with the disease, then it greatly increases their risk too.

6. Diabetes
Diabetes, too, may heighten one’s risk of developing pancreatic cancer. In people with diabetes, the risk is twice as much as that in non-diabetics.

7. Chemical exposure
One’s risk of developing pancreatic cancer is higher if they work in a setting that requires them to constantly inhale toxic chemicals (for example, the dry cleaning and metalworks industries).