Taken together, haematological malignancies account for 9.5% of new cancer diagnoses in the United States and 30,000 patients in the UK are diagnosed each year. Within this category, lymphomas are more common than leukemias.

Leukemia is rarely associated with pregnancy, affecting only about 1 in 10,000 pregnant women. How it is handled depends primarily on the type of leukemia. Nearly all leukemias appearing in pregnant women are acute leukemias. Acute leukemias normally require prompt, aggressive treatment, despite significant risks of pregnancy loss and birth defects, especially if chemotherapy is given during the developmentally sensitive first trimester. Chronic myelogenous leukemia can be treated with relative safety at any time during pregnancy with Interferon-alpha hormones. Treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemias, which are rare in pregnant women, can often be postponed until after the end of the pregnancy.

Tumors of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues or haematopoietic and lymphoid malignancies are tumors that affect the blood, bone marrow, lymph, and lymphatic system. As those elements are all intimately connected through both the circulatory system and the immune system, a disease affecting one will often affect the others as well, making myeloproliferation and lymphoproliferation (and thus the leukemias and the lymphomas) closely related and often overlapping problems.

While uncommon in solid tumors, chromosomal translocations are a common cause of these diseases. This commonly leads to a different approach in diagnosis and treatment of haematological malignancies.

Haematological malignancies are malignant neoplasms ("cancer"), and they are generally treated by specialists in hematology and/or oncology. In some centers "Haematology/oncology" is a single subspecialty of internal medicine while in others they are considered separate divisions (there are also surgical and radiation oncologists). Not all haematological disorders are malignant ("cancerous"); these other blood conditions may also be managed by a hematologist.

Hematological malignancies may derive from either of the two major blood cell lineages: myeloid and lymphoid cell lines. The myeloid cell line normally produces granulocytes, erythrocytes, thrombocytes, macrophages and mast cells; the lymphoid cell line produces B, T, NK and plasma cells. Lymphomas, lymphocytic leukemias, and myeloma are from the lymphoid line, while acute and chronic myelogenous leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative diseases are myeloid in origin.

A subgroup of them are more severe and are known as haematological malignancies (American spelling hematological malignancies) or blood cancer. They may also be referred to as liquid tumors.

Large doses of Sr-90 emission from nuclear reactors, nicknamed bone seeker increases the risk of bone cancer and leukemia in animals, and is presumed to do so in people.

Cancer prevalence in dogs increases with age and certain breeds are more susceptible to specific kinds of cancers. Millions of dogs develop spontaneous tumors each year. Boxers, Boston Terriers and Golden Retrievers are among the breeds that most commonly develop mast cell tumors. Large and giant breeds, like Great Danes, Rottweilers, Greyhound and Saint Bernards, are much more likely to develop bone cancer than smaller breeds. Lymphoma occurs at increased rates in Bernese Mountain dogs, bulldogs, and boxers. It is important for the owner to be familiar with the diseases to which their specific breed of dog might have a breed predisposition.

The exact cause of most cases of childhood leukemia is not known. Most children with leukemia do not have any known risk factors. The immune system plays an important role in protecting the body's immune system. An alteration or defect in the immune system may increase the risk for developing cancer. The immune system can be damaged by different factors, such as exposure to different viruses, environmental factors, chemical factors and other various infections.

There also appears to be some evidence linking childhood leukemia to x-ray exposure. In a 2010 study by the University of California, Berkeley’s School of Public Health, researchers found that children with acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) had almost twice the chance of having been exposed to three or more X-rays compared with children who did not have leukemia.

People with HPV-mediated oropharyngeal cancer tend to have higher survival rates. The prognosis for people with oropharyngeal cancer depends on the age and health of the person and the stage of the disease. It is important for people with oropharyngeal cancer to have follow-up exams for the rest of their lives, as cancer can occur in nearby areas. In addition, it is important to eliminate risk factors such as smoking and drinking alcohol, which increase the risk for second cancers.

Up to 10% of invasive cancers are related to radiation exposure, including both ionizing radiation and non-ionizing ultraviolet radiation. Additionally, the majority of non-invasive cancers are non-melanoma skin cancers caused by non-ionizing ultraviolet radiation, mostly from sunlight. Sources of ionizing radiation include medical imaging and radon gas.

Ionizing radiation is not a particularly strong mutagen. Residential exposure to radon gas, for example, has similar cancer risks as passive smoking. Radiation is a more potent source of cancer when combined with other cancer-causing agents, such as radon plus tobacco smoke. Radiation can cause cancer in most parts of the body, in all animals and at any age. Children and adolescents are twice as likely to develop radiation-induced leukemia as adults; radiation exposure before birth has ten times the effect.

Medical use of ionizing radiation is a small but growing source of radiation-induced cancers. Ionizing radiation may be used to treat other cancers, but this may, in some cases, induce a second form of cancer. It is also used in some kinds of medical imaging.

Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun can lead to melanoma and other skin malignancies. Clear evidence establishes ultraviolet radiation, especially the non-ionizing medium wave UVB, as the cause of most non-melanoma skin cancers, which are the most common forms of cancer in the world.

Non-ionizing radio frequency radiation from mobile phones, electric power transmission and other similar sources have been described as a possible carcinogen by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer. However, studies have not found a consistent link between mobile phone radiation and cancer risk.

Lymphoma is the most common form of hematological malignancy, or "blood cancer", in the developed world.

Taken together, lymphomas represent 5.3% of all cancers (excluding simple basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers) in the United States and 55.6% of all blood cancers.

According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, lymphomas account for about 5%, and Hodgkin lymphoma in particular accounts for less than 1% of all cases of cancer in the United States.

Because the whole system is part of the body's immune system, patients with a weakened immune system such as from HIV infection or from certain drugs or medication also have a higher incidence of lymphoma.

Worldwide approximately 18% of cancer deaths are related to infectious diseases. This proportion ranges from a high of 25% in Africa to less than 10% in the developed world. Viruses are the usual infectious agents that cause cancer but cancer bacteria and parasites may also play a role.

"Oncovirus"es (viruses that can cause cancer) include human papillomavirus (cervical cancer), Epstein–Barr virus (B-cell lymphoproliferative disease and nasopharyngeal carcinoma), Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (Kaposi's sarcoma and primary effusion lymphomas), hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses (hepatocellular carcinoma) and human T-cell leukemia virus-1 (T-cell leukemias). Bacterial infection may also increase the risk of cancer, as seen in "Helicobacter pylori"-induced gastric carcinoma. Parasitic infections associated with cancer include "Schistosoma haematobium" (squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder) and the liver flukes, "Opisthorchis viverrini" and "Clonorchis sinensis" (cholangiocarcinoma).

Skin cancers result in 80,000 deaths a year as of 2010, 49,000 of which are due to melanoma and 31,000 of which are due to non-melanoma skin cancers. This is up from 51,000 in 1990.

More than 3.5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed annually in the United States, which makes it the most common form of cancer in that country. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer at some point of their lives. The most common form of skin cancer is basal-cell carcinoma, followed by squamous cell carcinoma. Unlike for other cancers, there exists no basal and squamous cell skin cancers registry in the United States.

Childhood rhabdomyosarcoma has been fatal. Recovery rates have increased by 50 percent since 1975. In children five years of age or younger survival rates are up to 65 percent. In adolescents younger than 15 years old, the survival rate has increased up to 30 percent.

Ultraviolet radiation from sun exposure is the primary environmental cause of skin cancer. Other risk factors that play a role include:

- Smoking tobacco

- HPV infections increase the risk of squamous-cell skin cancer.

- Some genetic syndromes including congenital melanocytic nevi syndrome which is characterized by the presence of nevi (birthmarks or moles) of varying size which are either present at birth, or appear within 6 months of birth. Nevi larger than 20 mm (3/4") in size are at higher risk for becoming cancerous.

- Chronic non-healing wounds. These are called Marjolin's ulcers based on their appearance, and can develop into squamous-cell skin cancer.

- Ionizing radiation such as X-rays, environmental carcinogens, artificial UV radiation (e.g. tanning beds), aging, and light skin color. It is believed that tanning beds are the cause of hundreds of thousands of basal and squamous-cell skin cancer. The World Health Organization now places people who use artificial tanning beds in its highest risk category for skin cancer. Alcohol consumption, specifically excessive drinking increase the risk of sunburns.

- The use of many immunosuppressive medications increases the risk of skin cancer. Cyclosporin A, a calcineurin inhibitor for example increases the risk approximately 200 times, and azathioprine about 60 times.

Leukemia is usually described either as "acute", which grows quickly, or "chronic", which grows slowly. One main type of acute leukemia is acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), which accounts for about 3 out of 4 cases of leukemia in children. ALL is a form of leukemia that affects the lymphocytes, a type of white blood cells which fights infection. When a patient has ALL, the bone marrow makes too many immature white blood cells and they do not mature correctly. Therefore, the white blood cells over-produce, crowding the other blood cells. The white blood cells also do not work correctly to fight infection.

Another type of acute leukemia is acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). AML is cancer of the blood in which too many myeloblasts, immature white blood cells, are produced in the bone marrow. The marrow continues to produce abnormal cells that crowd the other blood cells and do not work properly to fight infection. Almost all childhood leukemia is acute.

Chronic leukemias are more common in adults than in children, and although they tend to grow more slowly than acute leukemias, they are harder to treat. These chronic leukemias are divided into two types: chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). CML is rare in children, but does occur and is treatable in children the same as in adults. CML patients have too many immature white blood cells being produced, and the cells crowd the other healthy blood cells.

A specific chromosome rearrangement is also found in patients with CML, among the 46 chromosomes in human cells. Part of chromosome nine breaks off and attaches itself to chromosome 22, meaning there is an exchange of genetic material between chromosomes 9 and 22. The rearrangement of the chromosomes changes the positions and functions of certain genes, which causes uncontrolled cell growth.

CLL is another form of chronic leukemia, but is extremely rare in children. Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a form of leukemia that is neither chronic nor acute and occurs most often in children under the age of four. JMML begins from myeloid cells, but is not as fast-growing as AML or as slow as CML.

The risk factors that can increase the risk of developing oropharyngeal cancer are:

- Smoking and chewing tobacco

- Heavy alcohol use

- A diet low in fruits and vegetables

- Chewing betel quid, a stimulant commonly used in parts of Asia

- Mucosal infection with human papilloma virus (HPV) (HPV-mediated oropharyngeal cancer)

- HPV infection

- Plummer-Vinson syndrome

- Poor nutrition

- Asbestos exposure

Certain genetic changes including: P53 mutation and CDKN2A (p16) mutations.

High-risk lesions:

- Erythroplakia

- Speckled erythroplakia

- Chronic hyperplastic candidiasis

Medium-risk lesions:

- Oral submucosal fibrosis

- Syphilitic glossitis

- Sideropenic dysphagia (or Paterson-Kelly-Brown syndrome)

Low-risk lesions:

- Oral lichen planus

- Discoid lupus erythematosus

- Discoid keratosis congenita

Palliative care, a specialized medical care focused on the symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness, is recommended by multiple national cancer treatment guidelines as an accompaniment to curative treatments for people suffering from lymphoma. It is used to address both the direct symptoms of lymphoma and many unwanted side effects that arise from treatments. Palliative care can be especially helpful for children who develop lymphoma, helping both children and their families deal with the physical and emotional symptoms of the disease. For these reasons, palliative care is especially important for patients requiring bone marrow transplants.

Dogs can develop many of the same types of cancer as humans. Many canine cancers are described with the same terminology and use the same classification systems as human cancers.

- Mast cell tumors are the most common type of skin cancer in canines.

- Lymphoma

- Prostate cancer

- Brain cancer

Hemangiosarcoma is a type of cancer that develops almost exclusively in dogs, the only two other species known to have it are cats and horses. Hemangiosarcomas are tumors that form on the blood vessels, and can occur all over the body. These tumors can develop on the skin, subcutaneously, or on a blood vessel within an organ and are highly malignant. The tumors are most fatal when they rupture, causing the dog to suffer from severe loss of blood.

Dogs are one of three mammalian species that are known to suffer from a transmissible cancer. Canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT) is species specific and highly contagious. The cancerous cell lines are transmitted between individuals that are in close contact with each other through acts of intercourse, biting, scratching, or licking. The cancer is prevalent in populations of stray dogs or environments of uncontrolled copulation. The tumors occur around the area of external genitalia and can grow up to 15 cm in area. Canine transmissible venereal tumors can often be infected, ulcerated, and hemorrhagic.

The greatest risk factors for RCC are lifestyle-related; smoking, obesity and hypertension (high blood pressure) have been estimated to account for up to 50% of cases.

Occupational exposure to some chemicals such as asbestos, cadmium, lead, chlorinated solvents, petrochemicals and PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) has been examined by multiple studies with inconclusive results.

Another suspected risk factor is the long term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS).

Finally, studies have found that women who have had a hysterectomy are at more than double the risk of developing RCC than those who have not. Moderate alcohol consumption, on the other hand, has been shown to have a protective effect. The reason for this remains unclear.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of cancer affecting blood cells that eventually develop into non-lymphocyte white blood cells. The disease originates from the bone marrow, the soft inner portion of select bones where blood stem cells develop into either lymphocyte or in this particular condition, myeloid cells. This acute disease prevents bone marrow cells from properly maturing, thus causing an accumulation of immature myeloblast cells in the bone marrow.

Acute myeloid leukemia is more lethal than chronic myeloid leukemia, a disease that affects the same myeloid cells, but at a different pace. Many of the immature blast cells in acute myeloid leukemia have a higher loss of function and thus, a higher inability to carry out normal functions than those more developed immature myeloblast cells in chronic myeloid leukemia (O’Donnell et al. 2012). Acute in acute myeloid leukemia means that the amounts of blast cells are increasing at a very high rate. Myeloid refers to the type of white blood cells that are affected by the condition.

Acute myeloid leukemia is the most common acute leukemia that is affecting the adult population. The 5-year survival rate for the cancer stands at around 26% (ACS, 2016).

M2 acute myeloblastic leukemia with maturation refers to the subtype of acute myeloid leukemia characterized by the maturation stages of the myeloid cell development and the location of the AML1 gene. One of the hallmarks of M2 subtype acute myeloid leukemia is the formation of a fusion protein, AML1-ETO or RUNX1-RUNX1T1, due to a translocation of chromosome 8 to chromosome 21 or t(8;21) (Miyoshi et al., 1991, Andrieu et al., 1996). This cytogenetic abnormality has been found in 90% of M2 acute myeloblastic leukemia; while the other 10% constitutes a mix of M1 and M4 acute myeloid leukemia (GFHC, 1990).

Another translocation between chromosome 6p23 and chromosome 9q34 is also associated with the M2 subtype. The t(6;9) causes the formation of a fusion oncogene made of DEK (6p23) and CAN/NUP214 (9q34). This rare translocation has a poor prognosis compared to the t(8;21) because 70% of t(6;9) acute myeloid leukemia patients have the FLT3-ITD mutation (Schwartz et al., 1983, Kottaridis, 2001). The FLT-ITD mutation is one of the most lethal mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (Chi et al., 2008).

M2 acute myeloblastic leukemia with maturation, as classified by the FAB system, constitutes 25% of adult AML (Wiki Main article: AML).

The prevention of feline cancer mainly depends on the cat's diet and lifestyle, as well as an ability to detect early signs and symptoms of cancer prior to advancement to a further stage. If cancer is detected at an earlier stage, it has a higher chance of being treated, therefore lessening the chances of fatality. Taking domesticated cats for regular checkups to the veterinarian can help spot signs and symptoms of cancer early on and help maintain a healthy lifestyle. Further, due to advancements in research, prevention of certain types of feline illnesses remains possible. A widely known preventative of feline leukemia virus is the vaccine which was created in 1969. Subsequently, an immunofloures-cent antibody (IFA) test for the detection of FeLV in the blood of infected cats was formulated. The IFA test was mainly used to experiment the chances of felines being exposed to cancer. The results showed that 33% of cats who were exposed to FeLV related diseases were at a higher risk for acquiring it, while the cats that were left unexposed were left unaffected. FeLV is either spread through contagion or infection and once infected it is possible for cats to stay that way for the rest of their lives.

Interaction with other Cats

Interaction with other cats with strains or diseases related to FeLV can be a great risk factor for cats attaining FeLV themselves. Therefore, a main factor in prevention is keeping the affected cats in quarantine from the unaffected cats. Stray cats, or indoor/outdoor cats have been shown to be at a greater risk for acquiring FeLV, since they have a greater chance of interacting with other cats. Domesticated cats that are kept indoors are the least vulnerable to susceptible diseases.

Vaccines

Vaccines help the immune system fight off disease causing organisms, which is another key to prevention. However, vaccines can also cause tumors if not given properly. Vaccines should be given in the right rear leg to ease tumor removal process. Vaccines given in the neck or in between the shoulder blades are most likely to cause tumors and are difficult to remove, which can be fatal to cats. Reducing the number of vaccinations given to a cat may also decrease the risk for it developing a tumor.

Spaying and Neutering

Spaying and neutering holds many advantages to cats, including lowering the risk for developing cancer. Neutering male cats makes them less subjected to testicular cancer, FeLV, and FIV. Spaying female cats lowers the risk for mammary cancer, ovarian, or uterine cancer, as it prevents them from going into heat. Female cats should be spayed before their first heat, as each cycle of heat creates a greater risk for mammary cancer. Spaying a female cat requires the removal of the ovaries and uterus, which would eliminate their chances of developing cancer in these areas.

Exposure to Sun

The risk of skin cancer increases when a cat is exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods. White cats, or cats with white faces and ears, should not be allowed out on sunny days. Between the hours of 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, it is recommended to keep domesticated cats indoors, as the sun is at its highest peak between these times. Sun block is also available for cats, which can help prevent skin irritation, and a veterinarian should be contacted to find out which brands are appropriate and to use on cats.

Exposure to Secondhand Smoke

Cats living in a smoker’s household are three times more likely to develop lymphoma. Compared to living in a smoke-free environment, cats exposed to secondhand smoke also have a greater chance of developing squamous cell carcinoma or mouth cancer. Cancer is also developed mostly due to the cat's grooming habits. As cats lick themselves while they groom, they increase chances of taking in the toxic, cancer-causing carcinogens that gather on their fur, which are then exposed to their mucus membranes.

Lifestyle

Providing a cat with the healthiest lifestyle possible is the key to prevention. Decreasing the amount of toxins, including household cleaning products, providing fresh and whole foods, clean and purified water, and reducing the amount of indoor pollution can help cats live a longer and healthier life. To lessen susceptibility to diseases, domesticated cats should be kept inside the household for most of their lives to reduce the risk of interacting with other stray cats that could be infected with diseases.

Soft-tissue sarcomas are relatively uncommon cancers. They account for less than 1% of all new cancer cases each year. This may be because cells in soft tissue, in contrast to tissues that more commonly give rise to malignancies, are not continuously dividing cells.

In 2006, about 9,500 new cases were diagnosed in the United States. Soft-tissue sarcomas are more commonly found in older patients (>50 years old) although in children and adolescents under age 20, certain histologies are common (rhabdomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma).

Around 3,300 people were diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma in the UK 2011.

Laboratory cats have been used in research for a wide range of diseases including stroke and diabetes to AIDS. Less than 1% of research on animal illnesses have been dedicated to cats.

Despite opposition from organizations such as those advocating animal rights, controversial animal testing is still used in cancer research centers. These research practices are continually being conducted on the basis that its benefits to humans outweigh the costs to humans, despite the unfair costs to innocent non-human animals. In some US states, animal testing laboratories get some of their feline test subjects from animal shelters.

According to Kim Sterling, associate teaching professor of oncology at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, the use of small animals in predicting human health care procedures is of significant benefit to humans because they are affected in similar, but not exactly the same, ways by the same diseases. This is the same analogy used in reference to cats and their unwilling role in advancing human cancer treatment research.

It is research like this that has led to a potential link between cat parasites and brain cancer in humans. Cats carry the parasite toxoplasma gondii. According to research ecologist Kevin Lafferty, of the University of California, Santa Barbara, this parasite is known to “behave in ways that could stimulate cells towards cancerous states”.

Therefore, research on cats with this parasite can help to better understand the risks of brain cancer for humans in contact with such cats.

Cats have also been used to further studies in the field of Cancer stem cell research. Small animals, like cats, experience faster rates of cancer development. As a result, they are good preclinical models for understanding processes like immortalization and its role in promoting cancerous tumors. The absence of immortalization means a cell can no longer undergo malignant transformation. Since these transformations are the basis for cancerous cell reproduction, this research can prove useful for future cancer treatments and understanding how to stop the spread of cancer in the body.

However, feline cancer research is not limited to what laboratory cats can do for other animals, there is also research being done by humans to see what can be done to improve treatment options for feline cancer. Advances, though slower than that in other animals, are being made in the field of feline cancer. This includes advances in chemotherapy research, immunization protocols and radiation therapy. In addition, there are clinical trials offering trial research treatment options for cats with cancer.

One of such treatments is the cat's claw. Although they share the same name, the cat’s claw (also known as "Uncaria tomentosa" or uña de gato) refers not to the animal cat but to a native plant of the Amazon Rainforest in Peru, South America. Cat's claw is still under research for its immunotherapic, antiproliferative abilities in suppressing cancer proliferation in humans; however, it has been deemed suitable for cat cancer treatment.

Nonetheless, feline cancer research into this, as well as other treatment options, remains an ongoing process.

Hereditary factors have a minor impact on individual susceptibility with immediate relatives of people with RCC having a two to fourfold increased risk of developing the condition. Other genetically linked conditions also increase the risk of RCC, including hereditary papillary renal carcinoma, hereditary leiomyomatosis, Birt–Hogg–Dube syndrome, hyperparathyroidism-jaw tumor syndrome, familial papillary thyroid carcinoma, von Hippel–Lindau disease and sickle cell disease.

The most significant disease affecting risk however is not genetically linked – patients with acquired cystic disease of the kidney requiring dialysis are 30 times more likely than the general population to develop RCC.

Current dietary recommendations to prevent colorectal cancer include increasing the consumption of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and reducing the intake of red meat and processed meats. Higher physical activity is also recommended. Physical exercise is associated with a modest reduction in colon but not rectal cancer risk. High levels of physical activity reduce the risk of colon cancer by about 21%. Sitting regularly for prolonged periods is associated with higher mortality from colon cancer. The risk is not negated by regular exercise, though it is lowered. The evidence for any protective effect conferred by fiber and fruits and vegetables is, however, poor. The risk of colon cancer can be reduced by maintaining a normal body weight.

Risk factors for pancreatic adenocarcinoma include:

- Age, gender, and ethnicity; the risk of developing pancreatic cancer increases with age. Most cases occur after age 65, while cases before age 40 are uncommon. The disease is slightly more common in men than women, and in the United States is over 1.5 times more common in African Americans, though incidence in Africa is low.

- Cigarette smoking is the best-established avoidable risk factor for pancreatic cancer, approximately doubling risk among long-term smokers, the risk increasing with the number of cigarettes smoked and the years of smoking. The risk declines slowly after smoking cessation, taking some 20 years to return to almost that of non-smokers.

- Obesity; a BMI greater than 35 increases relative risk by about half.

- Family history; 5–10% of pancreatic cancer cases have an inherited component, where people have a family history of pancreatic cancer. The risk escalates greatly if more than one first-degree relative had the disease, and more modestly if they developed it before the age of 50. Most of the genes involved have not been identified. Hereditary pancreatitis gives a greatly increased lifetime risk of pancreatic cancer of 30–40% to the age of 70. Screening for early pancreatic cancer may be offered to individuals with hereditary pancreatitis on a research basis. Some people may choose to have their pancreas surgically removed to prevent cancer developing in the future.

- Chronic pancreatitis appears to almost triple risk, and as with diabetes, new-onset pancreatitis may be a symptom of a tumor. The risk of pancreatic cancer in individuals with familial pancreatitis is particularly high.

- Diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for pancreatic cancer and (as noted in the Signs and symptoms section) new-onset diabetes may also be an early sign of the disease. People who have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes for longer than ten years may have a 50% increased risk, as compared with non-diabetics.

- Specific types of food (as distinct from obesity) have not been clearly shown to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. Dietary factors for which there is some evidence of slightly increased risk include processed meat, red meat, and meat cooked at very high temperatures (e.g. by frying, broiling or barbecuing).