The Silent Threat: Ten Factors That Can Lead to Pancreatic Cancer

3. Cigarette Smoking

The clear link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer is widely publicized. The connection with pancreatic cancer receives less public attention; a groundbreaking study found as many as 30% of cases could be linked to a smoking habit. A study in Sweden revealed that chewing tobacco could be just as dangerous as smoking when it comes to pancreatic cancer. There is currently no evidence that secondhand smoke increases the risk and, fortunately, the risk of developing cancer of the pancreas starts to decline once a person stops smoking.