Obesity has been identified as one of the major risk factors for pancreatic cancer among younger patients under the age of 40. Notably, the risk of developing pancreatic cancer begins to rise even at the overweight stage—slightly above a normal body weight—underscoring the need for proactive and sustained weight management.
A research team led by Professor Jung Yong Hong of the Department of Hematology–Oncology at Samsung Medical Center and Professor Joo-Hyun Park of the Department of Family Medicine at Korea University Ansan Hospital conducted a nationwide cohort study involving 6,315,055 adults aged 20–39 who underwent the National Health Screening Program between 2009 and 2012. Participants were followed for 10 years, and the findings were recently published in the European Journal of Cancer (Impact Factor 7.1).
During the follow-up period, a total of 1,533 cases of pancreatic cancer were identified. Analysis based on Asian-specific body mass index (BMI) criteria demonstrated a stepwise increase in pancreatic cancer risk with rising BMI. Compared with individuals of normal weight, those in the overweight group (BMI 23.0–24.9 kg/m²) and the class I obesity group (BMI 25.0–29.9 kg/m²) showed approximately a 39% higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer. In individuals with severe obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²), the risk nearly doubled. No statistically significant increase in risk was observed in the underweight group.
The researchers adjusted for a comprehensive range of potential confounding factors, including age, sex, smoking and alcohol consumption, physical activity, income level, and comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. These adjustments strengthen the evidence that obesity itself is a direct risk factor for pancreatic cancer. The team further explained that even from the overweight stage, chronic exposure to inflammatory mediators secreted by adipose tissue and increasing insulin resistance may promote abnormal pancreatic cell proliferation, creating a biological environment conducive to carcinogenesis.
Pancreatic cancer in younger individuals is particularly concerning, as it often presents with nonspecific symptoms and is therefore frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage, resulting in poor prognosis. The research team emphasized that “pancreatic cancer occurring during the economically active years places a substantial burden not only on patients, but also on their families and society as a whole,” adding that “weight control among people in their 20s and 30s represents a meaningful strategy for preventing pancreatic cancer at a young age.”
Professor Hong noted, “Initiating proactive weight management not only in obesity but beginning at the overweight stage is the most effective strategy to reduce the burden of pancreatic cancer in younger populations.”