Association of Alcohol Consumption with Risk of Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta‑Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.

Alcohol consumption is a known risk factor for various cancers, but the dose-response relationship between alcohol intake and pancreatic cancer risk remains unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the dose-response relationship between them. A search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase for prospective cohort studies up to February 10, 2026. Ten high-quality studies were identified, involving 22,365,829 participants and 21,255 cases. Comparing the highest with the lowest alcohol consumption categories, the pooled relative risk (RR) was 1.19 (95% CI: 1.10-1.28). No nonlinear association was observed in the dose-response analysis (p = .195). For every 10-gram increase in daily alcohol intake, the risk of pancreatic cancer increased by 5% (RR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.03-1.05). This linear association was also suggested in the never-smoker subgroup and appeared consistent across genders and regions. Alcohol consumption appears to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer in a linear dose-response manner, although the risk elevation at light drinking levels (e.g., below approximately 15 g/day) was not statistically significant.