Reducing Your Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

A risk factor increases your chances of developing cancer. Modifying the following risk factors may help reduce your risk of pancreatic cancer.

Stop Smoking

A significant number of cases of pancreatic cancer may be associated with smoking. If you are a smoker, you should do everything within your power to stop. You are risking pancreatic cancer, as well as other serious diseases. Contact your doctor to see if you can use a nicotine replacement , such as nicotine patch or gum. Other options include hypnotherapy or group support .

For more information on how to quit smoking, click here .

Stop Drinking


Lose Weight

Being overweight or obese not only increases your risk of pancreatic cancer but may also reduce your chance of survival if you are ever diagnosed with this condition. .

Try to control your body weight with the proper dieting and regular exercise . Contact your doctor if you are considering bariatric surgery .

Prevent Diabetes

It is well known that your chance of developing pancreatic cancer is increased if you have diabetes . If you have a family history of diabetes or have other risk factors, such as being overweight, you should get regular blood sugar testing to see if you have prediabetes . To prevent the condition from developing, you should control you weight with proper diet and exercise. Your doctor might consider using an antidiabetes drug if other options fail.

Avoid Exposure to Pancreatic Cancer-causing Chemicals


Eat a Nutritious Diet

Discuss with your doctor or dietitian strategies to eat a healthy diet , such as eating foods low in saturated fat and rich in whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables . You may also want to ask your doctor about taking folate . One study suggests a link between high folate intake and decreased risk of pancreatic cancer.

Revision Information







  • 4/9/2010 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance : Oaks BM, Dodd KW, Meinhold CL, Jiao L, Church TR, Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ. Folate intake, post-folic acid grain fortification, and pancreatic cancer risk in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;91(2):449-55.