DNA Fingerprint Technology: Its Application in Detecting Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal forms of cancers, ranking as the third highest cause of malignancies and fatalities. Approximately 88% of patients diagnosed with PC are older than 55 yr. Due to PC's vague symptoms, patients typically visit their doctor only when they experience symptoms of extreme pain and/or after their bile ducts have blocked. This produces symptoms including darkly colored urine, jaundice, and light-colored stools. At this point in the progression of the disease, the tumor has already metastasized. Early detection of PC is critical and justifies the need for innovative techniques to efficiently aid in this process. Current research involves screening different aspects of the disease, imaging techniques, and evaluating blood, urine, cell, and saliva biomarkers. We propose that forensic DNA fingerprinting can be used to establish the role of genetics in PC, and we describe disease inheritance patterns so that relatives can understand the likelihood of developing this lethal malignancy.