While the exact cause of pancreatic cancer is unknown, several factors have been found to play a role in its development. These risk factors include:

• Age – it is more common in people over the age of 70
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
• Family history of pancreatic cancer
• Hereditary syndromes such as BRCA2 gene mutation, Lynch syndrome and familial atypical mole-malignant melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome