Familial Pancreatic Cancer at a Tertiary Referral Center: Incidence and Clinical Characteristics in Korea

Familial pancreatic cancer (FPC), defined as kindreds with at least two first-degree relatives affected by pancreatic cancer (PC), represents a high-risk subgroup. However, data on its incidence and clinical characteristics in Korea remain limited. This study evaluated the incidence, clinicopathologic features, and prognostic impact of FPC at a tertiary referral center.

We retrospectively analyzed 5 858 patients diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma between 2008 and 2019. FPC was defined as at least one pair of first-degree relatives with PC. Clinicopathologic characteristics and overall survival (OS) were compared between FPC and non-FPC groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed using age, sex, and clinical stage. Survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression.

FPC was identified in 208 patients (3.55%) and in 5.0% of those undergoing curative-intent surgery (1 536 patients). Before PSM, FPC patients were less likely to present with metastatic disease and more likely to receive surgery and chemotherapy. After PSM, differences were not significant. OS was comparable between FPC and non-FPC groups, and FPC was not an independent prognostic factor.

In this large Korean cohort, FPC incidence and survival outcomes were comparable to those of non-FPC cases.