Is Cancer of the Pancreas Hereditary?

Cancer of the pancreas, or exocrine cancer, is a disease where malignant cancer cells are found in pancreatic tissue. The National Cancer Institute estimates 42,270 new pancreatic cancer cases in 2009 with 35,240 deaths.

Background

• Pancreatic cancer is genetic, which can be caused by DNA mutations that are either inherited or acquired by faulty cell replication or exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.

Percentage

• The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Research Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine estimates the incidence of hereditary pancreatic cancer at 10 percent. It is caused by rare medical syndromes.

Gene

• Though the cancer runs in some families, the specific gene that causes it has not yet been found. The National Familiar Pancreas Cancer Registry lists more than 250 families that have had two or more cases of pancreatic cancer.

Other genes

• The cancer is associated with other genetic abnormalities including the familial breast cancer gene (BRCA2); Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, which produces intestinal polyps; hereditary colon cancer and familial melanoma (FAMMM).

Hereditary pancreatitis

• Hereditary pancreatitis chronically inflames the pancreas starting from an early age. The responsible gene, called trypsinogen gene, has been associated with the cancer.