Prevention of pancreatic cancer

The incidence of pancreatic cancer is rising in Germany. At present pancreatic cancer is the third commonest cause of cancer death but is expected to become the second in 2030 and finally the leading cause of cancer death in 2050. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PC) is generally diagnosed at far advanced stages and 5-year-survival has remained poor. Modifiable risk factors of PC are tobacco smoking, excess body weight, alcohol use, type 2-diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. Smoking cessation and -in case of obesity- intentional weight loss can reduce PC risk by as much as 50 %. Early detection of asymptomatic sporadic PC at stage IA - stage IA-PC now has a 5-year-survival rate of about 80 %- has become a realistic chance for people older than 50 years with new-onset diabetes.