Advances in familial pancreatic cancer

Familial pancreatic cancer is a known hereditary cancer syndrome with autosomal dominant inheritance and accounts for about 3% of all pancreatic cancers. With the development of molecular genetics,several genes have been identified related with the familial pancreatic cancer, including breast cancer susceptibility gene 2, Palladin, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A, et al. In particular, mutations in some of these genes have been defined as the hereditary basis of particular cancer syndromes. Molecular genetics surveillance for high risk populace can lead to the diagnosis of asymptomatic, early-stage pancreatic cancer or precancerous lesions. Key words: Pancreatic neoplasms, familial;  Neoplastic syndromes,hereditary;  Surveillance