Pancreatic cancer is rising in young people
Getting older is one of the biggest risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Almost half of cases are diagnosed in over-75s – and it is rare in under-40s.
Despite this, pancreatic cancer incidence is rising more rapidly in younger age groups – particularly in women. The increase appears to be driven by pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common and aggressive form of the disease.
Some experts suggest this may reflect better detection of smaller, earlier-stage tumours. However, others point to rising rates of obesity, diabetes and smoking as potential drivers.
Snus may increase pancreatic cancer risk
Around one in five pancreatic cancers are caused by smoking. Cigarettes, cigars, pipes and chewing tobacco all raise the risk.
Whether snus – nicotine pouches that have become popular with young men in recent years – also increases the risk is still being researched.
A 2007 study involving Swedish construction workers, published in The Lancet, reported that snus users had roughly double the risk of pancreatic cancer compared to non-tobacco users.
Meanwhile, a 2005 Norwegian study found a 67 per cent increase in risk among current users. Quitting is the best protection, all experts agree.
Being overweight increases pancreatic cancer risk
Roughly one in ten pancreatic cancers are caused by being overweight or obese, according to Cancer Research UK.
Obesity also raises the risk of type 2 diabetes – and pancreatic cancer is more common in people with the condition.
Other obesity-linked problems, such as gallstones, are also tied to a higher risk.
Pancreatic cancer can run in families
In around five to ten per cent of cases, people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer have a family history of it.
The risk is higher if you have one or more first-degree relatives with the disease – or if a close relative was diagnosed at a young age.
In some cases, this is linked to inherited faults in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which also increase the risk of breast, ovarian and prostate cancers.
Faults in another gene, PALB2, have also been linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.
Other conditions that raise pancreatic cancer risk
Pancreatic cancer is more common in people with Peutz–Jeghers syndrome, a rare inherited disorder that causes pigmentation around the mouth, hands and feet, as well as benign growths called hamartomatous polyps, mainly in the gut.
People with the syndrome are also more likely to develop cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, breast and ovaries.
Familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome (FAMMM) also increases risk.
Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition best known for increasing the risk of bowel cancer, is also linked to pancreatic cancer.
Could weight loss jabs increase risk?
The UK drugs watchdog the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued guidance for patients on weight loss jabs, after confirming the injections can, in rare cases, cause pancreatitis.
Early studies into the drugs – collectively known as GLP-1 receptor agonists – found they triggered changes in pancreatic cells in lab animals.
So far, no link has been found between the injections, such as Mounjaro and Wegovy, and pancreatic cancer – but research is ongoing.
Eating red meat may increase pancreatic cancer risk
There is some evidence that eating a lot of red and processed meat may raise the risk of pancreatic cancer.
Research indicates that red meat (such as beef, pork and lamb) and processed meat (including bacon, sausages and hot dogs) may increase risk by around 12 to 38 per cent.
Experts believe the effect may be partly driven by the way meat is cooked. High-temperature methods such as grilling, barbecuing and pan-frying can produce potentially harmful chemicals – including heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – particularly when meat becomes charred.
Processed meats may also carry additional risks because they are cured, smoked or preserved, which can introduce other compounds linked to cancer risk.
However, the evidence is not definitive – and researchers stress more work is needed to understand how much of the risk is down to meat itself, cooking methods, portion size, and other lifestyle factors.
