Pancreatic cancer has a dismal 5-year survival rate of 11%. It is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States by 2030, largely because 85% of patients are diagnosed with late stage disease. Recent analysis of 2012 SEER data found that 5-year survival for stage 1a pancreatic cancer reached 83%, highlighting the potential for early detection to dramatically change the trajectory of this disease. At least 10% of patients with pancreatic cancer carry a pathogenic variant in a known cancer risk gene, and another 10-15% have a first degree relative with pancreatic cancer without an identifiable genetic cause. High-risk individuals from such families continue to be under-identified, despite growing data showing the benefit of pancreas surveillance in this population. We will discuss the current state of clinical surveillance for pancreatic cancer in high-risk individuals, and the role of large-scale collaborative research to accelerate progress toward meaningful improvement in survival.
Level of Instruction: Basic
