Family Life

02.08.10 | FL News Team

Consumption of two or more sugary soft drinks a week nearly doubles the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. That's the bottom line of a new report published in the journal "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention." Pancreatic cancer is among the most deadly of all cancers, with just five-percent of those diagnosed with the disease still alive five years later. Researchers at the University of Minnesota believe high levels of sugar in soft drinks may be increasing the level of insulin in the body, contributing to pancreatic cancer cell growth.

 The study followed more than 60-thousand people for 14 years. In that time, there were 140 cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosed. The researchers discovered those who'd consumed two or more soft drinks a week had an 87-percent increased risk of developing the cancer, compared to those who consumed no soft drinks. There was no association noted with other beverages, such as fruit juice, and pancreatic cancer.