Background: The strongest risk factors for pancreatic adenocarcinoma are tobacco smoking and increasing age. However, only a few smokers or elderly individuals develop the disease and genetic factors are also likely to be important.
Methods: The literature on genetic factors modifying susceptibility to cancer was reviewed, with particular regard to the interindividual variation that exists in the development of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Results: Tobacco-derived carcinogen-metabolizing enzyme gene variants have been the main area of study in stratifying the risk of sporadic pancreatic cancer. Inconsistent results have emerged from the few molecular epidemiological studies performed.
Conclusion: There is great scope for further investigation of critical pathways and unidentified genetic influences may be revealed. This may eventually allow the identification of individuals at high risk who might be targeted for screening.
Copyright (c) 2007 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd.