There are some factors that can increase the chance of developing the genetic mutations, which may result potentially in pancreatic cancer. These factors include: Body weight, smoking, age, diet, diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, and inherited faulty genes.

Here is the brief overview about risk factors of pancreatic cancer:

Age: The risk of getting pancreatic cancer may increase as people get older. Mainly it affects the people who are in middle age and old age and rarely affects younger people. Out of 4 people 3 are more than 65 years old, whose body is prone to develop pancreatic cancer.

Diet: Diet that contains huge amount of processed meat or red meat may increase the risk of getting pancreatic cancer. These processed meats include sausages, burger patties, ham, and bacon. Regularly eating a diet, which is high in sugar and fat and low in vegetables and fresh fruits may also increase the risk. Drinking large amount of alcohol can also increase the risk.

Tobacco and smoking: Cigarette and tobacco smoke includes a large number of cancer causing chemicals such as carcinogens. Tobacco is one of the major risk factor for getting this cancer.

Religious Background: Chances of developing this cancer are more common in Jews than the other people. This may be due to a specific inherited mutation in breast cancer gene (BRCA2) that runs in Jewish families.

Gender: This cancer most commonly occurs in men than women because men are more likely to smoke than women.

Chronic Pancreatitis: People, who have a condition like inflammation of the pancreas, swelling and tenderness over a long period of time, are more likely to develop this cancer. Having chronic pancreatitis may increase the risk of developing cancer in pancreas; this is due to a rare inherited condition known as hereditary pancreatitis.

Peptic ulcer surgery: People who have had a partial gastrectomy may have an increased risk of getting pancreatic cancer.

Diabetes: This is a disease also known as diabetes mellitus or sugar diabetes. Diabetes makes your body unable to produce required amount of insulin, which is a hormone that normally produced by the pancreas. This hormone helps the body in converting starches and sugar into the energy.

Body weight: From several studies, it is proven that being physically inactive and being overweight can also increase risk of developing this cancer.

Genetic syndrome: Inherited mutations of gene are abnormal copies of particular genes, which may be passed from parents to children. 10% of pancreatic cancers can be cause by this abnormal gene.

Occupational exposure: Over exposure at work to certain dyes, chemicals, and pesticides which are used in metal refining can increase the risk of this cancer.