The causes of pancreatic cancer are not yet known. There are, however different factors that can increase the risk of developing the disease. Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are the most significant risk factors. According to current findings, patients who have had their stomach removed are also at an increased risk of developing this cancer. Diet as well as genetic factors also play a role in the occurrence of pancreatic cancer.

Risk factor: Smoking
Smoking cigarettes has been proven to be a risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer. Smokers are estimated to have an approximately 3.5-fold increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. About a quarter of all pancreatic cancer cases have a causal relationship with smoking.  

Risk factor: Alcohol consumption
Alcohol, too seems to increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Excessive alcohol consumption is estimated to increase the risk of developing the disease 2.5-fold.

Risk factor: Pre-existing conditions
People who are suffering from a hereditary form of pancreatitis in particular are at increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. In up to 40 per cent of cases, patients with hereditary pancreatitis will develop pancreatic cancer by the time they are 70.

People who have had to have stomach surgery in the past have a three- to seven-fold increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. 

Risk factor: Diet
Dietary factors probably also play a role in the occurrence of pancreatic cancer. A diet high in meat and fat is possibly also associated with an increased risk of developing the disease.

Risk factor: Genetic factors
In some families, pancreatic cancer occurs more frequently. In the vast majority of patients, however there is no hereditary component to their pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is often only diagnosed at an advanced stage. In pancreatic cancer in particular it is important that the tumour is detected in time. The earlier it is diagnosed the better the prognosis.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the cancers with few symptoms during the early stages. Those symptoms in turn are not very distinctive and could be explained by other, more harmless causes.   

Unspecific symptoms include:
Unexplained weight loss, abdominal or back pain, jaundice, loss of appetite and nausea, recent onset of diabetes, or vomiting

The following examinations are used for diagnosis:

• blood counts
• ultrasound
• determination of tumour markers
• endoscopy, i.e. an examination of the stomach, first section of the small intestine, pancreatic and bile ducts
• computed tomography (CT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging

Depending on the stage and type of the respective cancer, physicians and patients will decide together what type of treatment or combination of treatment methods is most suitable: surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy usually in combination with chemotherapy. When choosing the right treatment method, the patient’s age and general state of health will also be taken into consideration.

Chemotherapy is aimed at destroying cancer cells in the whole body with medicinal products that inhibit cell growth (cytostatics). Cytostatics are very effective against rapidly growing cells. Cancer cells are particularly fast-growing.

In order to find the most suitable treatment, the diagnostic procedures described must be used to determine how advanced the disease is before treatment is initiated.

First, the tumour is staged.

This is based on the TNM classification (see table below), amongst others. T is the size and spread of the primary Tumour; N = the number of lymph Nodes (Latin for knots) affected and M is the presence and localisation of distant Metastasis.