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Can Pancreatic Cancer Be Prevented?
There is no sure way to prevent pancreatic cancer. But there are things you can do that might lower your risk.
Don¡¯t smoke
Smoking is the most important avoidable risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Quitting smoking helps lower risk. If you smoke and want help quitting, please talk to your health care provider or call us at 1-800-227-2345.
Watch your diet, body weight, and physical activity
Getting to and staying at a healthy weight might help lower your risk. Getting regular physical activity can help you stay at a healthy weight and may also reduce your risk of pancreatic cancer.
The ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Cancer Society recommends following a healthy eating pattern that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and limits or avoids red and processed meats, sugary drinks, and highly processed foods. To learn more, see the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Cancer Society Guidelines for Diet and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention.
Avoid alcohol
Heavy alcohol use has been tied to pancreatic cancer in some studies. Heavy alcohol use can also lead to conditions such as chronic pancreatitis, which is known to increase pancreatic cancer risk. It¡¯s best not to drink alcohol. If you do drink, you should have no more than 1 drink per day for women or 2 drinks per day for men.
Limit exposure to certain chemicals in the workplace
Avoiding workplace exposure to certain chemicals (carcinogens) may reduce your risk for pancreatic cancer.
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- References
The ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as editors and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
Beavers TB, Brown PH, Maresso KC, Hawk ET. Chapter 23: Cancer Prevention, Screening, and Early Detection. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Dorshow JH, Kastan MB, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff¡¯s Clinical Oncology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa. Elsevier: 2014.
Castillo CF and Jimenez RE. Epidemiology and nonfamilial risk factors for exocrine pancreatic cancer. UpToDate website. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/epidemiology-and-nonfamilial-risk-factors-for-exocrine-pancreatic-cancer. Updated Jan 23, 2023. Accessed Feb 4, 2024.
Rock CL, Thomson C, Gansler T, et al. ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Cancer Society guideline for diet and physical activity for cancer prevention. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2020;70(4). doi:10.3322/caac.21591. Accessed at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3322/caac.21591 on Feb 5, 2024.
Winter JM, Brody JR, Abrams RA, Posey JA, Yeo CJ. Chapter 55: Cancer of the Pancreas. In: DeVita VT, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg SA, eds. DeVita, Hellman, and Rosenberg¡¯s Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2019.
Last Revised: February 5, 2024
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