title: Clinicopathologic Features and Germline Sequence Variants in Young Patients (≤40 Years Old) With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.
abstract: The median age of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is approximately 70 years, and PDAC rarely affects individuals younger than 40 years. Here, we investigated clinicopathologic features and genetic background of PDAC occurring in young patients (age ≤ 40 years) to determine whether any difference exists in comparison with those of older patients (>40 years).
  
  
  
  We reviewed 908 patients with pathologically proven PDAC for clinicopathologic characteristics. In addition, we performed targeted sequencing of germline variants for 49 genes that are associated with a hereditary predisposition for cancer in 9 young patients with available DNA.
  
  
  
  Among the 908 patients, a total of 17 were diagnosed at age younger than 40 years. There were no significant differences between young and old groups in terms of sex, smoking history, tumor location, Union for International Cancer Control stage, family histories of any cancer and PDAC in first-degree relatives, and medical history of other cancer. Targeted sequencing analysis demonstrated no definite "pathogenic" variants.
  
  
  
  The clinicopathologic features in young patients were generally similar to those in older patients. The rarity of family history of PDAC and the sequencing analysis for germline variants suggest that hereditary factors might have a weak, if any, relationship with early-onset PDAC.
authors.affiliation: From the *Division of Cancer Genomics, National Cancer Center Research Institute; and †Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Oncology and ‡Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohmoto
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yachida
authors.forename: Emi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: Erina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Takuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okusaka
authors.forename: Chigusa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morizane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D018095:Germ-Line Mutation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult