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Pancreatic Cancer Genetics
1Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
International Journal of Biological Sciences
|March 2, 2016
Summary
Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease with rising mortality rates. This review focuses on genetic risk variants, particularly common susceptibility alleles found through Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS).
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genetics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Pancreatic tumors, primarily pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), are highly lethal with non-improving mortality rates.
- Pancreatic cancer is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US by 2030.
- Established risk factors include smoking, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), obesity, pancreatitis, and family history.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge of germline pancreatic cancer risk variants.
- To emphasize common susceptibility alleles identified through Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS).
Main Methods:
- Literature review of epidemiological and genetic studies on pancreatic cancer.
- Focus on Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) for identifying common susceptibility alleles.
Main Results:
- Germline variants contribute to pancreatic cancer etiology, with family history indicating a role for shared genetic factors.
- GWAS have identified common susceptibility alleles associated with increased pancreatic cancer risk.
Conclusions:
- Understanding germline risk variants is crucial for comprehending pancreatic cancer etiology.
- Further research into genetic factors, especially those identified by GWAS, can inform prevention and treatment strategies.
Keywords:
pancreatic tumors
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