title: An Epidemiological Overview of Environmental and Genetic Risk Factors of Pancreatic Cancer.
abstract: This paper overviewed risk factors of pancreatic cancer. Both genetic and environmental factors may be playing significant roles in the development of pancreatic cancer. Cigarette smoking has been established as a major risk factor for pancreatic cancer, based on findings from almost all epidemiological studies. Long-term smoking cessation may reduce the risk. The evidence that alcohol drinking and coffee consumption increase the risk is not sufficient, although an association with higher level of consumption remains a possibility. Diabetes mellitus, long-standing diabetes in particular, may be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Individuals with hereditary pancreatitis or non-hereditary chronic pancreatitis are possibly at increased risk of pancreatic cancer. Higher intake of meat and fat may be associated with an increased risk, while consumption of fruits/vegetables appears to have a protective effect. Individuals with mutations or deletion in such genes as K-ras, p16, p53, DPC4, and BRCA2 increased the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Cigarette smoking may play a role in the development of these mutations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Aichi-gunAichi 480-1195, Japan. linys@aichi-med-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yingsong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamakoshi
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inaba
authors.forename: Shogo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Motohashi
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurosawa
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohno