Risk Factors

Pancreatic Cancer

• Socioeconomic status: incidence higher in lower socioeconomic groups.
• Place of residence: incidence higher in urban populations.
• Age: people between 60 and 80 years of age.
• Gender: men (slightly more common than in women).
• Race: African-Americans (slightly more common than in Caucasians).
• Life style: smoking and alcoholism.
• Industrial chemicals: workers exposed to solvents and petroleum compounds.
• Family history: people with a history of pancreatic cancer in a close family member.

Liver Cancer

• Hepatitis B and C: people with a history of chronic liver disease, particularly cirrhosis that results from chronic hepatitis B or C infections or alcoholism.
• Known carcinogens: nitrosamines, polyvinylchloride, thorotrast, aflatoxins.
• Age: people in late middle age or older.
• People with nutritional deficiencies, or hemochromatosis (excessive iron deposits in the body's tissues).

Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancers

• Age: people are 60 to 70.
• Gender: more common in men.
• People with a history of gallstones.
• Sclerosing cholangitis.