Familial pancreatic cancer: a review and latest advances.

Familial Pancreatic Cancer (FPC) is the autosomal dominant inheritance of a genetic predisposition to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, penetrance is assumed to be high but not complete. It was first described in 1987 and since then many families have been identified, but the candidate disease gene remains elusive and the very existence of the syndrome is sometimes questioned. FPC identifies a target group for secondary screening. As well as being potentially life saving for the subjects, screening offers researchers the opportunity to elucidate the early pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer. The scientific incentive for screening should not blind us to the challenges facing clinicians in managing high risk patients. Early surgical treatment may dramatically improve the five year survival for pancreatic cancer, but this must be balanced against the risks of false positives, where healthy individuals are subjected to the mortality and morbidity of major pancreatic surgery.

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and screening for pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cancer risk, including pancreatic, is high in those with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS). It has been suggested that such patients should undergo screening for pancreatic cancer. METHODS: The risk of pancreatic cancer in PJS, pancreatic screening and potential screening strategies were reviewed. Cost-effectiveness was assessed according to American Gastroenterology Association guidelines and a risk stratification model proposed by the European Registry of Hereditary Pancreatitis and Familial Pancreatic Cancer. RESULTS: The risk of pancreatic cancer is increased in PJS but screening would cost over US 35,000 dollars per life saved. Risk stratification reduces cost by 100,000 dollars and costs fall to 50,000 dollars per life saved if deaths from other forms of cancer are avoided. CONCLUSION: Screening should be performed only on a research basis to evaluate the benefit and cost-effectiveness in high-risk groups.

Hereditary pancreatitis and secondary screening for early pancreatic cancer.

Hereditary pancreatitis is an autosomal dominant disease with incomplete penetrance (80%), accounting for approximately 1% of all cases of pancreatitis. It is characterized by the onset of recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis in childhood and frequent progression to chronic pancreatitis. Whitcomb et al. identified the cationic trypsinogen gene (PRSS1) on chromosome 7q35 as the site of the mutation that causes hereditary pancreatitis. The European registry of hereditary pancreatitis and familial pancreatic cancer (EUROPAC) aims to identify and make provisions for those affected by hereditary pancreatitis and familial pancreatic cancer. The most common mutations in hereditary pancreatitis are R122H, N29I and A16V but many families have been described with clinically defined hereditary pancreatitis where there is no PRSS1 mutation. It is known that the cumulative lifetime risk (to age 70 years) of pancreatic cancer is 40% in individuals with hereditary pancreatitis. This subset of individuals form an ideal group for the development of a screening programme aimed at detecting pancreatic cancer at an early stage in an attempt to improve the presently poor long-term survival. Current screening strategies involve multimodality imaging (computed tomography, endoluminal ultrasound) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for pancreatic juice collection followed by molecular analysis of the DNA extracted from the juice. The potential benefit of screening (curative resection) must be balanced against the associated morbidity and mortality of surgery. Philosophically, the individual's best interest must be sought in light of the latest advances in medicine and science following discussions with a multidisciplinary team in specialist pancreatic centres.

Pancreatic hamartoma.

Pancreatic hamartoma is a rare benign lesion and may be mistaken for a malignancy, as demonstrated by two cases. The first case was a 29-year-old man who presented with a 7-month history of intermittent upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting and a 15-kg weight loss. CT and MRI revealed a mass in the head of the pancreas. The second case was a 62-year-old man who presented with a 2-year history of intermittent abdominal pain, vomiting and a 25-kg weight loss. Although positron emission tomography was normal, CT revealed thickening of the duodenal wall and endoluminal ultrasonography revealed a tumour in the head of the pancreas. Both patients recovered from uneventful Kausch-Whipple pancreatoduodenectomy (in the first patient, it was pylorus-preserving), and in each case the histological diagnosis was hamartoma. Pancreatic hamartoma can present with vague, non-specific symptoms which, despite modern diagnostic tools, can be difficult to diagnose. Surgical resection with histopathological examination is required to confirm the diagnosis.