Pancreatic Cancer

Why is the impact of Pancreatic Cancer important to people in alberta?

Pancreatic cancer is the 12th most common cancer in Alberta.¹ About 435 adults were diagnosed in 2015.²

Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed when it’s at a late stage.
The risk of getting pancreatic cancer starts to rise between the ages of 35-39 and increases with age.¹

What can I do?

Experts agree that together, we can prevent about 44 out of every 100 cases of pancreatic cancer in Alberta.² Here’s how:

Tobacco smoking is linked to about 16% of new pancreatic cancer cases in Alberta.⁵

Tobacco has cancer-causing toxins (called carcinogens) that damage cells in the pancreas. Over time, the damaged cells can turn into cancer. You can lower your risk for pancreatic cancer when you quit using tobacco or cut down.

Not eating enough vegetables and fruits is linked to about 16% of new pancreatic cancer cases in Alberta.⁶ Canada's Food Guide recommends eating plenty of vegetables and fruits every day.⁷

Alcohol is linked to up to about 2% of new pancreatic cancer cases in Alberta.⁸
Excess weight is linked to about 5% of new pancreatic cases in Alberta.⁹
Eating a lot of red and processed meats is linked to about 10% of new pancreatic cancer cases in Alberta.¹⁰

The World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) recommend adults stay at a healthy body weight³ and keep their body mass index (BMI) in the normal range. Use our BMI Tool to find the healthy weight range for you.