Those who consume two or more sweetened soft drinks a week have a much increased risk of pancreatic cancer, a rare and fatal type of cancer.

People who drink fruit juice instead of soft drinks do not run the same risk, according to a study on a sample of 60,000 volunteers held in Singapore and the results were announced yesterday.

The sugar may be responsible for the occurrence of this type of cancer, but those who consume sweet beverages often have other unhealthy habits, pointed out Mark Pereira of the University of Minnesota, led the study. "High levels of sugar in soft drinks may increase levels of insulin in the body, which we believe contribute to the growth of cancer cells in the pancreas," adds the statement. Insulin, which helps the body to metabolize sugar, produced in the pancreas.

In an article in the journal «Cancer Epidemiology, Viomarkers & Rrevention, the Pereira and colleagues report that they have their research on a sample of 60,524 men and women over 14 years.

 During this period, 140 volunteers from cancer of the pancreas. Those who drank two or more drinks a week were 87% more likely to be among those who developed pancreatic cancer.

However, Susan from Maine Center for Cancer at Yale University in Konetikat is cautious. "Although this study found the risk, the finding was based on a relatively small number of cases and it remains unclear whether or not a causal relationship," he explains. "In Singapore, for example, soft drink consumption is linked to several other adverse health behaviors such as smoking and eating red meat.

Pancreatic cancer is the most lethal. Worldwide recorded 230,000 cases. In the U.S. 37,680 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year and 34,290 die.

The American Cancer Society says that survival rates for patients with pancreatic cancer within five years is about 5%.