[Smoking, consumption of alcoholic beverages and coffee as factors associated with the development of cancer of the pancreas].

The purpose of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the role of alcohol intake, smoking and coffee consumption as risk factors in the development of cancer of the pancreas. Twenty nine cases with pancreatic cancer and 29 controls matched by sex, socioeconomic status and age were evaluated. Information on alcohol, tobacco and coffee consumption was obtained by specially designed questionnaires. Odds ratios were calculated and analyzed by chi square testing. The combination of the 3 factors gave an odds ratio of 26.3, whereas alcohol and coffee consumption gave an odds ratio of 13.9. Considered independently, only alcohol and coffee consumption were found to be significantly associated with cancer of the pancreas.