title: BRCA1 and pancreatic cancer: pedigree findings and their causal relationships.
abstract: Anecdotal reports and series studies indicate that 5-10% of pancreatic cancer (PC) cases are familial. In addition, PC is associated with a variety of hereditary cancer syndromes. PC appears to be an integral cancer in the hereditary breast-ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome, with most notice given to the role of BRCA2. Our purpose is to call attention to BRCA1, which also predisposes to PC. Using data from our familial breast cancer registry, we identified 19 BRCA1/2 families that contain PC affecteds in the pedigrees, 15 with BRCA1 mutations and 4 with BRCA2 mutations. The association between BRCA2 and pancreatic cancer is well established; however, a definite link with pancreatic cancer in families carrying a BRCA1 mutation has been far less studied. Thus, the focus of this report is on 9 of the 15 BRCA1 families, in which PC affecteds were either confirmed carriers of the BRCA1 mutation or were inferred as probable obligate BRCA1 mutation carriers. The numbers are small, but nevertheless illustrate the finding of others of an apparent association between PC and BRCA1-mutation-bearing families. Given the dismal prognosis of PC, with the only current hope for survival being through surgical extirpation of the pancreas prior to metastasis, it is prudent that we realize the potential predisposition toward PC via BRCA1, in the hope of early diagnosis and prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Creighton University School of Medicine, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178, USA. htlynch@creighton.edu
authors.forename: Henry T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: Carolyn A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Deters
authors.forename: Carrie L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.forename: Jane F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Villeneuve
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Silberstein
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Narod
authors.forename: Randall E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Brand
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D010375:Pedigree; D012042:Registries
chemical_list: D019313:BRCA1 Protein; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins