Six genes contain mutations that may be passed down in families, substantially increasing a person's risk for pancreatic cancer. That's according to research published in JAMA. However, because researchers found these genetic mutations in patients with no family history of pancreatic cancer, they are recommending genetic testing for all pancreatic cancer patients as the new standard of care.
Currently, health care providers offer genetic testing only to pancreatic cancer patients with a family history of the disease. That accounts for just 10 percent of all pancreatic cancer cases. Research suggests these testing guidelines miss genetic predisposition to cancer in up to 90 percent of pancreatic cancer patients with no family history. This finding is significant in part because the data suggest that family members should have DNA testing to understand their risk for cancer.
"This study provides the most comprehensive data to date supporting genetic testing for all pancreatic cancer patients," says senior author on the study. "This is the first study to provide estimates on the magnitude of cancer risk associated with each gene. It indicates that family history alone cannot predict who has these mutations."
"Multiple genes can each increase risk of pancreatic cancer. But if genetic testing is performed only on patients with a family history of pancreatic cancer, then a small number of patients will be helped," says senior author.
Genetic testing was conducted on 3,030 pancreatic patients who were seen at Mayo Clinic between 2000 and 2016. The test results of 21 cancer genes were compared to similar results from more than 123,000 patients without pancreatic cancer. The study found six genes clearly linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer: BRCA1, BRCA2, CDKN2A, TP53, MLH1 and ATM. These genetic mutations were identified in 5.5 percent of all pancreatic cancer patients, including 5.2 percent of cancer patients without a family history of pancreatic cancer.
Patients who have these genetic mutations are at a substantially higher risk for pancreatic cancer, but that does not definitively mean they will develop the disease.
"The conclusion of this study is that we now have better molecular insights into the underlying genetic causes of pancreatic cancer," says another author. "The comprehensive data generated from this cohort required the specific and uniform sequencing, and deep analyses of a focused set of cancer predisposition genes. The risks of developing pancreatic cancer due to mutations in these genes can be more accurately estimated than ever before because of this seminal study." Qiagen Sciences Inc. designed the DNA testing for this research.
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-discovers-gene-mutations-linked-to-pancreatic-cancer-calls-for-expanded-testing/
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2685154
Latest News
New origin of deep brain waves
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Starving cells hijack prote…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Miniature battery-free epid…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Molecular causes of differe…
By newseditor
Posted 16 Apr
Cell's 'garbage disposal' h…
By newseditor
Posted 16 Apr
Other Top Stories
A key gene in the transmission of deadly sleeping sickness identified!
Read more
Biological wiring in bacteria never seen before!
Read more
Viral infection induces host mRNA to protect against antiviral resp…
Read more
New non-antibiotic strategy for the treatment of bacterial meningitis
Read more
A year in space has little effect on gut microbiome!
Read more
Protocols
MemPrep, a new technology f…
By newseditor
Posted 08 Apr
A tangible method to assess…
By newseditor
Posted 08 Apr
Stem cell-derived vessels-o…
By newseditor
Posted 06 Apr
Single-cell biclustering fo…
By newseditor
Posted 01 Apr
Modular dual-color BiAD sen…
By newseditor
Posted 31 Mar
Publications
The immunobiology of herpes…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Circulating microbiome DNA…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Spindle oscillations in com…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Oligodendroglial macroautop…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
COPII with ALG2 and ESCRTs…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Apr
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar