Hereditary pancreatitis and the risk of pancreatic cancer. International Hereditary Pancreatitis Study Group

Hereditary pancreatitis as the premalignant disease: a Japanese case of pancreatic cancer involving the SPINK1 gene mutation N34S

Mutations in the cationic trypsinogen gene are acknowledged as a risk factor for pancreatic cancer in patients with hereditary pancreatitis. However, whether patients with mutations in other genes, such as the serine protease inhibitor Kazal type 1 (SPINK1) gene, are also at a higher risk of pancreatic cancer remains unknown. We report a case of pancreatic cancer associated with chronic calcifying pancreatitis in a patient with a homozygous N34S mutation in the SPINK1 gene. A 44-year-old woman was hospitalized due to obstructive jaundice. Preoperative examination showed a tumor in the head of the pancreas and multiple pancreatic stones; pancreatoduodenectomy revealed a solid tumor, 3.0 x 2.5 cm in size, in the head of the pancreas, and numerous pancreatic stones throughout the pancreas. Pathologic studies revealed moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma. Mutational analyses of the SPINK1 and PRSS1 genes in members of the patient's family were carried out. The homozygous N34S mutation in the SPINK1 gene was found in the patient and her older sister, who was previously diagnosed with chronic calcific pancreatitis and had undergone the Frey operation. The patient's parents and brother were unaffected carriers of the N34S heterozygous mutation. No family members had any mutations in the cationic trypsinogen gene. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of chronic pancreatitis accompanied by pancreatic cancer in a patient with the SPINK1 N34S mutation. Although this case does not meet the classic criteria of hereditary pancreatitis, it does suggest that the SPINK1 N34S mutation may be associated with cancer development in patients with hereditary pancreatitis. Further prospective, multicenter trials investigating secondary screening for pancreatic cancer in hereditary pancreatitis are necessary to clarify the role of SPINK1 mutations in the development of pancreatic cancer.

Chemoprevention for pancreatic cancer

For a number of solid tumors, including pancreatic cancer, efforts aimed at disease prevention may be more successful than currently available anticancer treatments. While specific interventions are emerging to prevent breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancer, no trials of chemoprevention are being conducted in pancreatic cancer. Importantly, there are significant obstacles to the conduct of such research. However, preclinical and epidemiologic studies suggest that several drugs may have chemopreventive potential in pancreatic cancer. These include aspirin and other non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), selective cyclooxygenase inhibitors, somatostatin analogs, selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), and anti-androgenic agents. As the oncology community evaluates some of these agents in large chemoprevention trials for breast, colon, and prostate cancer, it may be found that pancreatic cancer prevention occurs as an unintended, but desirable consequence. Moreover, other general societal trends, such as smoking cessation and the widespread use of cholesterol-lowering agents and aspirin, could have a role in reducing the risk of pancreatic cancer, and in the future, may lead to a decrease in its incidence.

Molecular epidemiology of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Currently there is no early diagnostic test and no effective treatment options for this deadly disease. Prevention of pancreatic cancer is difficult because little is known about its etiology. The main modifiable risk factors for pancreatic cancer include cigarette smoking and dietary factors. Information from molecular epidemiological study of pancreatic cancer is very limited. DNA adducts derived from exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, aromatic amines, and heterocyclic amines have been detected in human pancreatic tissues. DNA damages derived from oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation are also present in the pancreas. No study has demonstrated a main effect of carcinogen-metabolizing genes and DNA repair genes on the risk of pancreatic cancer thus far. However, significant effects of these genes have been observed among individuals with known carcinogen exposure, such as smoking. A number of environmental and lifestyle factors, such as smoking, alcohol, coffee consumption, and exposure to organochlorine or hydrocarbon solvent, have been associated with the frequency and spectrum of K-ras mutation in pancreatic tumors. Dietary folate intake and serum levels of folate have been associated with the risk of pancreatic cancer among male smokers. These findings demonstrate the potential of the molecular epidemiology approach in understanding the etiology of pancreatic cancer. Further efforts should be made to understand the interactive relationship between genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of pancreatic cancer, which will in turn be important in identifying the high-risk population for the primary prevention of this deadly disease.

Clinical and genetic characteristics of hereditary pancreatitis in Europe

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Hereditary pancreatitis is an autosomal dominant disease that is mostly caused by cationic trypsinogen (PRSS1) gene mutations. The aim was to determine phenotype-genotype correlations of families in Europe.

METHODS

Analysis of data obtained by the European Registry of Hereditary Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer was undertaken using multilevel proportional hazards modelling.

RESULTS

There were 112 families in 14 countries (418 affected individuals): 58 (52%) families carried the R122H, 24 (21%) the N29I, and 5 (4%) the A16V mutation, 2 had rare mutations, and 21 (19%) had no PRSS1 mutation. The median (95% confidence interval [CI]) time to first symptoms for R122H was 10 (8, 12) years of age, 14 (11, 18) years for N29I, and 14.5 (10, 21) years for mutation negative patients (P = 0.032). The cumulative risk (95% CI) at 50 years of age for exocrine failure was 37.2% (28.5%, 45.8%), 47.6% (37.1%, 58.1%) for endocrine failure, and 17.5% (12.2%, 22.7%) for pancreatic resection for pain. Time to resection was significantly reduced for females (P < 0.001) and those with the N29I mutation (P = 0.014). The cumulative risk (95% CI) of pancreatic cancer was 44.0% (8.0%, 80.0%) at 70 years from symptom onset with a standardized incidence ratio of 67% (50%, 82%).

CONCLUSIONS

Symptoms in hereditary pancreatitis start in younger patients and endpoints take longer to be reached compared with other forms of chronic pancreatitis but the cumulative levels of exocrine and endocrine failure are much higher. There is an increasingly high risk of pancreatic cancer after the age of 50 years unrelated to the genotype.

Hereditary pancreatitis: clinical characteristics and diagnostic criteria in Japan

BACKGROUND/AIM

Hereditary pancreatitis (HP) is the strongest known risk factor for pancreatic cancer. The aim of the present study is to establish diagnostic criteria for HP to predict and identify high-risk groups for pancreatic cancer.

METHOD

We collected clinical data for 210 patients with recurrent acute or chronic pancreatitis, and examined mutations of the cationic trypsinogen (CT) gene in 57 patients with a family history of pancreatitis or with early-onset idiopathic recurrent acute or chronic pancreatitis (40 years of age or younger). DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes, and exons 2 and 3 of the CT gene were individually amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced.

RESULTS

Of these 57 patients in whom mutations of the CT gene were examined, the R122H (20 patients) and N29I (5 patients) mutations in the CT gene were observed in 25 patients (43.9%). From the analysis of clinical records and the CT gene of these patients, we proposed the following adaptations to the diagnostic criteria for HP: (1) at least one of the affected members in a family has no known etiological factors, (2) we deleted the definition of "different generation", but included the upper limit of the age of onset of pancreatitis in the case of siblings (at least 1 of the patients in a family <40 years of age). According to these criteria, all patients with the CT gene mutations in the present study could be classified as having HP, with the exception of 2 sporadic cases with the R122H and N29I mutations, respectively. Based on these findings, we revised the criteria for the diagnosis of HP; (1) recurrent acute or chronic pancreatitis with R122H or N29I mutation of the CT gene, or (2) recurrent acute or chronic pancreatitis with a family history of 2 or more affected patients, irrespective of generation, with at least 1 of the patients having no known etiological factors, and in case of siblings only, the onset of the disease in at least 1 of the patients is under age 40 years.

CONCLUSION

The revised criteria in the present study are appropriate and of clinical usefulness to diagnose patients with HP even in cases without the genetic testing. However, if and when more genes are detected, it will be important to reexamine the mutation-negative patients now classified as HP based on our proposed criteria.

Tropical chronic pancreatitis

Tropical chronic pancreatitis (TCP) is a juvenile form of chronic calcific non-alcoholic pancreatitis, seen almost exclusively in the developing countries of the tropical world. The classical triad of TCP consists of abdominal pain, steatorrhoea, and diabetes. When diabetes is present, the condition is called fibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes (FCPD) which is thus a later stage of TCP. Some of the distinctive features of TCP are younger age at onset, presence of large intraductal calculi, more aggressive course of the disease, and a high susceptibility to pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic calculi are the hallmark for the diagnosis of TCP and in non-calcific cases ductal dilation on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, computed tomography, or ultrasound helps to identify the disease. Diabetes is usually quite severe and of the insulin requiring type, but ketosis is rare. Microvascular complications of diabetes occur as frequently as in type 2 diabetes but macrovascular complications are uncommon. Pancreatic enzyme supplements are used for relief of abdominal pain and reducing the symptoms related to steatorrhoea. Early diagnosis and better control of the endocrine and exocrine dysfunction could help to ensure better survival and improve the prognosis and quality of life of TCP patients.

Rare ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas in patients younger than age 40 years

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) are extremely rare before age 40 years. The objective of the current study was to determine whether the features of PDACs in patients age < 40 years differ from those in older patients. The authors reviewed the literature and their own files.

METHODS

The cases reported in the literature were evaluated to determine their precise diagnoses and characteristic features. In a series of 439 PDACs from the authors' files, tumors in patients age < 40 years were identified, and their clinicopathologic features and certain genetic features were compared with those in a selected group of patients age > 40 years.

RESULTS

Of 71 pancreatic carcinomas reported in patients age < 40 years, only 20 fully qualified as PDACs. The remaining tumors represented malignancies other than PDACs, such as pancreatoblastoma, solid-pseudopapillary neoplasms, acinar cell carcinomas, and endocrine tumors. PDACs in patients age < 20 years were the absolute exception and commonly were associated with risk factors such as Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, hereditary pancreatic cancer syndrome, and preceding radiotherapy. In the authors' series of patients, there were 6 PDACs and 4 PDAC variants in patients age < 40 years (0.2%), all in male patients. These tumors compared well with the PDACs in patients age > 40 years in their pathologic and molecular findings. Three patients were age < or = 20 years, and 2 of those patients had a mucinous component with MUC2 positivity.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of PDACs in patients age < 40 years was approximately 0.3%, and the incidence in patients age < 20 years was 0.1%. Their clinicopathologic findings were comparable to those in patients age > 40 years, but they seemed to include more variants, particularly mucinous carcinomas. In addition, PDACs in younger patients frequently appeared to be associated with genetic factors.

Epidemiology of pancreatic cancer: an overview

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of pancreatic cancer worldwide appears to correlate with increasing age, and it is slightly more common among men and Jewish people. There is evidence that the incidence rate is higher among blacks than among whites.

METHODS

The published literature was reviewed for preparation of an overview on epidemiology of pancreatic cancer.

RESULTS

A possible role of diabetes in the etiology of pancreatic cancer has been suggested by different epidemiological studies. Several investigations indicate that a history of pancreatitis may increase the risk of pancreas cancer, and it appears that people with a history of pernicious anemia or partial gastrectomy for ulcer as well as cholecystectomy may be at higher risk. Individuals with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) also have a high risk of developing this cancer. Pancreatic cancer is seen in some breast cancer families with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. Epidemiological studies have confirmed that relatives of individuals with pancreatic cancer have an increased risk of this malignancy. Affected family members of the familial atypical multiple-mole melanoma (FAMMM) as well as those with a positive family history of ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) have much higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer, compared with the general population. A positive association has been reported between pancreatic cancer risk and dietary intake such as fat and oil, meat, and dairy products, as well as with high intake of energy, fried foods, carbohydrates, cholesterol, and salt. The risk is found to decrease with increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, fiber, natural foods, and Vitamin C. Cigarette smoking has shown the strongest positive association with risk of pancreatic cancer.

CONCLUSION

Some diseases and medical conditions such as diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, AP, family aggregation of pancreatic cancer, FAMMM, AT, as well as nutrition and lifestyle factors, like smoking may play important role in the etiology of pancreatic cancer.

p16 Inactivation in pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PanINs) arising in patients with chronic pancreatitis

Patients with long-standing chronic pancreatitis are thought to be at increased risk of developing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, but the mechanism for this increased risk is unknown. Since increasing evidence supports the notion that infiltrating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas arise from pancreatic intraepithelial lesions (PanINs), we sought to determine if patients with chronic pancreatitis harbor PanINs with alterations in tumor suppressor genes that are associated with infiltrating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. We identified 122 patients with a diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis and 29 patients with a well-differentiated pancreatic endocrine tumor that underwent pancreatic surgery at the Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1985 to 1999. PanINs from each resection specimen were identified, graded, counted, and correlated with smoking and alcohol history. The expression patterns of p16 and Smad4 were determined in a subset of PanINs by immunohistochemistry, and the pattern of labeling compared with that seen in PanINs associated with infiltrating adenocarcinoma of the pancreas as identified in prior studies, and to PanINs associated with pancreatic endocrine tumor. Duct lesions were present in 80 of the 122 pancreata with chronic pancreatitis (66%). Of 405 duct lesions identified in the chronic pancreatitis group, 7.6% were reactive changes, 65.5% were PanIN-1A, 18% were PanIN-1B, 7.4% were PanIN-2, and 1.5% were PanIN-3. Within the pancreatic endocrine tumor group, 22 PanINs were identified: 15 PanIN-1A, 4 PanIN-1B, and 3 PanIN-2. There were significantly fewer high-grade PanINs in the pancreata with chronic pancreatitis than in pancreata with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (P < 0.0001). Within the chronic pancreatitis group, the 80 patients with PanINs were significantly older than the 42 patients without PanINs (mean age 57.0 +/- 14.1 years vs. 50.9 +/- 14.7 years, P = 0.01). Smoking history was not associated with PanIN prevalence or grade, but patients who reported a history of excessive alcohol consumption had fewer PanINs (25 of 44 harbored PanINs, 57%) than those who did not (54 of 74, 73%, P = 0.07). In the chronic pancreatitis group, 0% of PanIN-1A, 11% of the PanIN-1B, 16% of the PanIN-2, and 40% of the PanIN-3 lesions showed loss of p16 expression, whereas all of the PanINs from patients with an pancreatic endocrine tumor retained p16 expression. All of the PanINs analyzed from patients with chronic pancreatitis retained normal Smad4 expression. We conclude that a significant minority of PanINs arising in patients with chronic pancreatitis show loss of p16 expression. This alteration, common to pancreatic cancer-associated PanINs, may contribute to the predisposition of patients with chronic pancreatitis to develop pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Familial pancreatic carcinoma in Jews

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the most fatal of all gastrointestinal cancers, wherein its mortality compares strikingly with its incidence. Unfortunately, 80-90% of PCs are diagnosed in the nonresectable stage. While the lifetime risk of PC in developed countries is approximately 1-3%, it is the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths among both males and females in Western countries. It occurs in excess in Jews. Approximately 5-10% of PC shows familial clustering. Examination of such familial clusters must take into consideration cancers of diverse anatomic sites, such as malignant melanoma in the familial atypical multiple melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome due to the CDKN2A (p16) germline mutation, and combinations of colorectal and endometrial carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma, and several other cancers in hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), which are due to mismatch repair germline mutations, the most common of which are MSH2 and MLH1 . Other hereditary disorders predisposing to PC include Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, due to the STK11 mutation, familial pancreatitis due to the cationic trypsinogen gene, site-specific familial pancreatic cancer which may be due to the 4q32-34 mutation, hereditary breast-ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome that is due to BRCA2 and possibly some families with HBOC that is due to BRCA1 , familial adenomatous polyposis due to the ATP gene, and ataxia telangiectasia due to the ATM germline mutation. This extant heterogeneity mandates that the physician be knowledgeable about these PC-prone syndromes which play such an important role when considering the differential diagnosis of hereditary PC. Unfortunately, there are no PC screening programs with acceptable sensitivity and specificity. However, the gold standard for screening at this time is endoscopic ultrasound. Clearly, there is a great need for the development of novel screening approaches with acceptable sensitivity and specificity. Further research is needed to elucidate those etiologic factors that contribute to the apparent excess of PC in Ashkenazi Jews. Attention should also be given to the search for mutations predisposing to PC in Jews so that opportunities to learn more about the disease's pathogenesis, as well as screening and control, may take place.

FDG-PET scanning in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancers

This review deals with the current, well-established indications for two-(18F)-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scanning in patients with gastrointestinal cancers. FDG-PET is a non-invasive, functional imaging technique. FDG exploits the native glucose transporter to enter the cell. Since many tumours have enhanced glucose uptake, FDG is readily accumulated in malignant cells and can be detected by a PET camera. FDG-PET has been established as an important diagnostic tool in clinical oncology. This review deals with the current, well-established indications for FDG-PET scanning in patients with gastrointestinal cancers. In the current practice, FDG-PET is most commonly used to stage oesophageal carcinoma, to detect and stage recurrence of colorectal carcinoma and to differentiate between benign and malignant pancreatic lesions. The benefit of FDG-PET scanning in patients with oesophagus carcinoma is best established in stage IV disease, as the diagnostic accuracy to detect metastatic disease is higher compared to the combination of computed tomography (CT) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). In patients with a history of colorectal carcinoma, FDG-PET scanning is particularly effective in diagnosing recurrent disease, especially in those with a rising carcinoembryonic antigen without a suspect lesion on conventional imaging. Large series have indicated that the sensitivity and specificity for detecting recurrent colorectal carcinoma are in the range of 87%-100% and 66%-100%, respectively. Equally, FDG-PET has a high sensitivity (68%-96%) and specificity (78%-100%) in detecting pancreatic carcinoma in patients with a suspicious-looking pancreatic mass on CT scan. Lastly, we focus on the use of FDG-PET as a modality for early monitoring of treatment response in patients with gastrointestinal stromal cell tumours. Without doubt, future developments will further establish the diagnostic role of the FDG-PET scan in the care of patients with gastrointestinal cancers.

Molecular pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is an almost universally fatal disease, with a five-year survival rate of 5%. Research into both sporadic and inherited forms of pancreatic cancer has yielded tremendous advances in the understanding of this disease at the molecular level. Elucidating genetic alterations in pancreatic cancer has identified various abnormalities ranging from gross chromosomal abnormalities to point mutations, many of which influence the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. Identifying precursor lesions within pancreatic ducts has led to the formulation of a progression model of pancreatic cancer and subsequent identification of early- and late-stage changes leading to invasive cancer. Ultimately, understanding the genetic events underlying the development of pancreatic cancer may serve as a useful adjunct in the screening and treatment of patients suffering from, or at risk for, pancreatic cancer.

N34S, a pancreatitis associated SPINK1 mutation, is not associated with sporadic pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

The SPINK1 mutation N34S is associated to chronic pancreatitis of idiopathic, alcoholic and tropic origin. Our aim was to evaluate its prevalence in patients with sporadic pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

The N34S allele of SPINK1 was analyzed by melting curve analysis using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) probes and the LightCycler in 159 German patients with sporadic pancreatic cancer (83 male, 76 female, median age of diagnosis 61 years, range 36-84 years) and 492 healthy controls.

RESULTS

The N34S mutation was detected in 2 (1.3%) of the 159 patients with pancreatic cancer and in 8 (1.6%) of the 492 controls (not significant).

CONCLUSION

The N34S mutation of SPINK1 appears not to be a distinct genetic risk factor in patients with sporadic pancreatic cancer.

Duodenum- and spleen-preserving total pancreatectomy for end-stage chronic pancreatitis

Background

Total pancreatectomy may be warranted in patients with advanced chronic pancreatitis in whom partial resection has failed and in those with end-stage pancreatic function. A new operation, duodenum- and spleen-preserving total pancreatectomy, is described.

Methods

Nineteen consecutive patients with chronic pancreatitis who had duodenum- and spleen-preserving total pancreatectomy were studied.

Results

There were 15 men and four women with a median age of 40 (range 29–64) years. The aetiology was alcohol misuse in nine, hereditary pancreatitis in five and idiopathic in five patients. All patients had chronic intractable abdominal pain. Six had undergone pancreatic surgery previously and one had had multiple coeliac plexus blocks. There were ten postoperative complications in five patients, and one hospital death. The median hospital stay was 25 (range 10–84) days. There was a reduction in pain (P &lt; 0·001) and analgesic use (P &lt; 0·001) after surgery, and weight gain was noted at 12 and 24 months (P &lt; 0·001). Nine patients required readmission to hospital, four because of surgical complications: adhesional obstruction in one, biliary stricture in two and duodenal obstruction in one. In the other five patients (four of whom had long-standing pre-existing diabetes mellitus) readmission was for better control of pain (three patients), diabetes mellitus (two), and diabetes-associated diarrhoea (two) or gastropathy (one).

Conclusion

Duodenum- and spleen-preserving total pancreatectomy has a role in selected patients with medically intractable pain from chronic pancreatitis.

Pancreatoduodenectomy in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis

The value of surgical resection for patients with chronic pancreatitis has been debated on account of persistent symptoms and the morbidity of the operative procedure, both immediate and delayed. This paper explores the consequence of pancreatoduodenectomy in 175 patients with chronic pancreatitis who were operated on between 1976 and 1997. All patients were carefully selected after varying periods of conservative management. The operation was a classical Kausch-Whipple resection in 98 patients and a pylorus-preserving procedure in 67. There were four postoperative deaths (days 7, 10, 35, and 70), and only two reoperations were performed. The median number of postoperative events was one, with delayed gastric emptying being the most common (31 patients). The median length of in-hospital stay was 20 days (range: 8-215 days), but no patient was discharged until medical and social disabilities were resolved. There were seven late deaths, most of them linked to cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption; 75% of patients had a good clinical outcome, but 18 patients required further pancreatic surgery at a mean of 12 months, either a pancreatojejunostomy or a completion pancreatectomy. Diabetes occurred in 40% of patients by 5 years, and most, at some stage of their postoperative period, required pancreatic enzyme supplementation. It is suggested that resection of the pancreas provides a reasonable life-style in 75% of patients, but the outcome depends in large part on the predisposing disease.

Management of Patients at High Risk for Pancreatic Cancer

Because pancreatic cancer patients seldom exhibit disease-specific symptoms until the cancer is at an advanced stage, its diagnosis is a virtual death sentence. Therefore, to make a significant impact on long-term survival for subjects with pancreatic cancer, asymptomatic individuals would have to be screened for premalignant precursors of pancreatic cancer or for asymptomatic pancreatic cancer. A number of formidable obstacles limit the ability of healthcare providers to screen for early neoplastic changes and to make a very early and specific diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. These include lack of a high-risk population for sporadic pancreatic cancer and lack of a simple, noninvasive test sensitive enough to detect small cancers. However, progress is being made in defining various high-risk groups for pancreatic cancer, and improvements in imaging modalities make detection of premalignant lesions and small cancers possible in such individuals. The protocols currently being studied, including use of endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography to detect precancerous lesions and small pancreatic cancer in high-risk patients, are still in the research arena and not yet ready for clinical practice.

Approach to idiopathic recurrent pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is caused by acute or chronic alcohol intake or choledocholithiasis in approximately 80% of cases. In the absence of alcohol abuse or gallstones, a variety of established and putative factors must be considered, any of which can cause a single or recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis. When the underlying cause eludes detection following an initial thorough search and leads to a second attack, the term idiopathic acute recurrent pancreatitis (IARP) is applied. This article discusses IARP and its work-up.

Laser microdissection of small tissue samples--application to chronic pancreatitis tissues

Laser microdissection is considered to be the gold standard of tissue sampling, especially if a defined small tissue area consisting of single or few cells within a heterogeneous tissue compartment is of interest. This sophisticated technique offers the opportunity of rapid and contamination-free tissue sampling for RNA- or DNA-based molecular genetic studies. We have applied laser microdissection to a molecular genetic study of pancreatic intraductal lesions (PanINs) in tissues of chronic pancreatitis, where an exact microdissection of small ducts within a dense fibrous tissue is of paramount importance for following analysis. From nine patients suffering from chronic pancreatitis, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue specimens were laser microdissected, and a total of 202 normal ducts and PanINs of grade PanIN-1A to grade PanIN-2 were harvested. After whole genome amplification by improved primer extension and preamplification PCR (I-PEP-PCR), microsatellite-PCR based loss of heterozygosity analysis (LOH) of the tumor suppressor gene loci TP53, p16INK4, and DPC4 was performed. One of 85 informative duct lesions (1.2%) had LOH of TP53, 1 of 76 duct lesions (1.3%) had LOH of DPC4, and 2/29 duct lesions (6.9%) showed LOH of p16INK4. Microsatellite instability (MSI) was seen in 2 of 178 duct lesions (1.1%). Immunohistochemical staining of p53 protein and DPC4 protein revealed no aberrant expression. These preliminary data indicate that LOH of tumor suppressor genes, important in pancreatic cancer genesis or MSI, can be found in chronic pancreatitis tissues, but their incidence is low.

Genetic disorders of the pancreas

The venues opened to all by the remarkable studies of the genome are just starting to become manifest; they can now distinguish different variants of a disease; they are given the tools to better understand the pathophysiology of illness; they hope to be able to provide better treatment alternatives to our patients. The examples described in this review demonstrate the applicability of these concepts to pancreatic disorders. Researchers may be just scratching the surface at this time, but the potential is enormous. Many philosophic and ethical questions need to be answered as physicians move along: Should all family members of an index case be screened? Who should pay for testing? Who should get results? But, without the participation of so many patients, their family members, and numerous volunteers, researchers would not have witnessed the bridging of so many gaps as they have so far. All of us may now look forward to the application of this incredible knowledge to the therapeutic solutions so eagerly awaited.

Idiopathic acute pancreatitis

After routine investigations, including a thorough history, routine laboratory study, and noninvasive imaging with transcutaneous ultrasonogram, 10% to 25% of cases of acute pancreatitis have no readily identifiable cause and are termed idiopathic. But modern medicine has made notable advances in uncovering various causes of acute pancreatitis, and several new diagnostic tools that allow clinicians to less invasively approach the patient without sacrificing the diagnostic yield have been introduced. By being knowledgeable of these new changes and by their proper use in a proper circumstances, clinicians will be able to find the cause more accurately and earlier. This better management will not only improve the well-being of the patients but also reduce the number of "true" idiopathic acute pancreatitis to a minimum.

The genetics of pancreatic cancer

The genetic basis for invasive and preoneoplastic neoplasms of the exocrine and endocrine pancreas has been the subject of a number of investigations in recent years. The purpose of this paper was to briefly review and summarize the pertinent findings. High frequency changes associated with pancreatic adenocarcinomas include mutations of the k-ras oncogene, and inactivating alterations of the p53, p16, and DPC4 tumor suppressor genes. Hereditary syndromes that have a known predisposition for pancreatic adenocarcinoma development include hereditary pancreatitis, familial atypical multiple mole melanoma (FAMM) syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, familial breast cancer (BRCA-2), hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome (HNPCC), and Li-Fraumeni syndrome. The underlying genetic defects have been identified and are currently being studied. Germline mutations of the men-1 gene are responsible for the MEN-1 syndrome, known to be associated with pancreatic endocrine tumors. It appears that somatic mutations of the gene are present in at least a subset of sporadic tumors. In addition, alterations in the Rb/p16 pathway appear to be commonly associated with pancreatic endocrine tumors. Further characterization of pancreatic tumors will result in a better understanding of the cellular pathways involved in pancreatic tumorigenesis and holds promise to identify targets for novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Characterization of the neoplastic phenotype in the familial atypical multiple-mole melanoma-pancreatic carcinoma syndrome

BACKGROUND

Previous studies suggest that the familial atypical multiple-mole melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome may predispose affected families to nonmelanoma carcinomas, including adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. It has been found that many of these families harbor mutations in the CDKN2A gene on chromosome 9p21. The phenotypic expression of CDKN2A mutations in these families has not been characterized fully.

METHODS

The authors studied eight families that appeared to inherit multiple nevi, cutaneous melanomas, and pancreatic carcinomas in association with a CDKN2A germline mutation. The expression of disease within these families was examined, and segregation ratios were estimated to assess the patterns of inheritance according to various definitions of phenotype.

RESULTS

Either multiple nevi or pancreatic carcinoma was diagnosed in 53% of first-degree relatives of the probands. The offspring of parents affected with multiple nevi, melanoma, or pancreatic carcinoma were significantly more likely to be affected themselves compared with the offspring of unaffected parents (48.9% vs. 16.7%; P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

The current results provide additional evidence that multiple nevi, melanoma, or pancreatic carcinoma may be inherited as autosomal-dominant traits in families known to harbor CDKN2A mutations. Other malignancies may be a part of the phenotype in these families, although this hypothesis requires additional study.

Cancer vaccines: between the idea and the reality

Whether vaccines are designed to prepare the immune system for the encounter with a pathogen or with cancer, certain common challenges need to be faced, such as what antigen and what adjuvant to use, what type of immune response to generate and how to make it long lasting. Cancer, additionally, presents several unique hurdles. Cancer vaccines must overcome immune suppression exerted by the tumour, by previous therapy or by the effects of advanced age of the patient. If used for cancer prevention, vaccines must elicit effective long-term memory without the potential of causing autoimmunity. This article addresses the common and the unique challenges to cancer vaccines and the progress that has been made in meeting them. Considering how refractory cancer has been to standard therapy, efforts to achieve immune control of this disease are well justified.

Adjuvant therapy in pancreatic cancer: historical and current perspectives

The results from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma appear to be improving with increased resection rates and reduced postoperative mortality reported by specialist pancreatic cancer teams. Developments with medical oncological treatments have been difficult, however, due to the fundamentally aggressive biological nature of pancreatic cancer and its resistance to chemotherapy coupled with a relative dearth of randomised controlled trials. The European Study Group for Pancreatic Cancer (ESPAC)-1 trial recruited nearly 600 patients and is the largest trial in pancreatic cancer. The results demonstrated that the current best adjuvant treatment is chemotherapy using bolus 5-fluorouracil with folinic acid. The median survival of patients randomly assigned to chemoradiotherapy was 15.5 months and is comparable with many other studies, but the median survival in the chemotherapy arm was 19.7 months and is as good or superior to multimodality treatments including intra-operative radiotherapy, adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and neo-adjuvant therapies. The use of adjuvant 5-fluorouracil with folinic acid may be supplanted by gemcitabine but requires confirmation by ongoing clinical trials, notably ESPAC-3, which plans to recruit 990 patients from Europe, Canada and Australasia. Major trials such as ESPAC-1 and ESPAC-3 have set new standards for the development of adjuvant treatment and it is now clear that such treatment in this field has the potential to significantly improve both patient survival and quality of life after curative resection.

Pancreatitis

In the past decade, our understanding of the genetic basis, pathogenesis, and natural history of pancreatitis has grown strikingly. In severe acute pancreatitis, intensive medical support and non-surgical intervention for complications keeps patients alive; surgical drainage (necrosectomy) is reserved for patients with infected necrosis for whom supportive measures have failed. Enteral feeding has largely replaced the parenteral route; controversy remains with respect to use of prophylactic antibiotics. Although gene therapy for chronic pancreatitis is years away, our understanding of the roles of gene mutations in hereditary and sporadic pancreatitis offers tantalising clues about the disorder's pathogenesis. The division between acute and chronic pancreatitis has always been blurred: now, genetics of the disorder suggest a continuous range of disease rather than two separate entities. With recognition of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia, we see that chronic pancreatitis is a premalignant disorder in some patients. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic ultrasound are destined to replace endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for many diagnostic indications in pancreatic disease.

Familial pancreatic cancer

Screening advocated

Genetic factors in pancreatitis

A number of genetic mutations have recently been identified that appear to be important in the development of pancreatitis. Point mutations in the cationic trypsinogen gene are capable of initiating pancreatitis. These mutations also provide important insights into the pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis and into potential connections between acute and chronic pancreatitis. Mutations in the genes encoding for the pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator more likely work in concert with other genes and environmental factors in affecting disease susceptibility. Although the subject so far has received only a limited amount of study, genetic polymorphisms in a wide range of genes relating to pancreatic function and to regulation of inflammation are likely to play major roles in determining each individual's susceptibility to developing pancreatitis, and its severity if it does develop.

BRCA2 germline mutations in familial pancreatic carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Although as many as 10% of pancreatic cancer cases may have an inherited component, familial pancreatic cancer has not been linked to defects in any specific gene. Some studies have shown that families with germline mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2 have an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers, as well as a modestly increased risk of pancreatic cancer. To study these relationships in more detail, we examined whether BRCA2 germline mutations are associated with familial pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

We identified 26 European families in which at least two first-degree relatives had a histologically confirmed diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. We sequenced genomic DNA isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained from participating family members to identify germline mutations in BRCA2.

RESULTS

Three (12%, exact 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2% to 30%) families carried germline frameshift mutations in the BRCA2 gene that are predicted to result in a truncated BRCA2 protein. Two additional families harbored mutations previously designated as unclassified variants of BRCA2. Thus, 19% (exact 95% CI = 7% to 39%) of the families in our study had either a frameshift mutation or an unclassified variant of BRCA2. None of the families in our study met the criteria for familial breast or ovarian cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data support an important role for BRCA2 germline mutations in a subpopulation of families with familial pancreatic cancer. BRCA2 mutation analysis should be included in molecular genetic testing and counseling strategies in families with at least two first-degree relatives affected with ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

Chronic pancreatitis. Long-term pain relief with or without surgery, cancer risk, and mortality

To determine the natural history of chronic pancreatitis (CP), we retrospectively studied 193 consecutive patients who had at least one hospitalization for the control of pain or a complication of CP by examining the hospital records and by using a standard questionnaire. Alcohol (66%) was the major cause of CP and the cause was unknown in 21%. Pain was the presenting symptom in 93%. Pancreatic calcification was observed in 41% (alcoholic 54% vs. nonalcoholic 19%; OR = 6.7, CI = 2.7, 14.3; p < 0.0001). Diabetes (28%), malabsorption (16%), pseudocysts (21%) and pancreatic (3%) or extrapancreatic malignancy (5%) were the main complications. 43% had surgical intervention for pain relief, 10% had either endoscopic sphincterotomy or surgical sphincteroplasty and 16% had surgery for complications. Surgical or endoscopic intervention was more commonly performed in nonalcoholics compared with alcoholics (OR = 12.8, CI = 3.6, 53.9; p < 0.0001). However, if sphincterotomy and sphincteroplasty were excluded, the total number of surgical procedures for pain relief was similar in both groups. Complete follow-up information was available in 107 patients with a mean duration of follow-up of 10 years (range, 1-28 years); 27 patients died during the follow-up; 5, 10 and 15 year mortality was 14%, 18% and 20% respectively. The mortality was significantly higher in patients with alcoholic CP than in nonalcoholic CP (35% vs. 10%; OR = 1.4, 18.7; p = 0.005). Of the 80 patients who were alive and had complete long-term follow-up, pain improved in 62 patients, remained unchanged in 17 and worsened in one. Pain improved in 34 of 41 (83%) patients who had surgical intervention for pain, 7 of 9 patients (78%) who had surgery for complications, 4 of 7 (57%) who had sphincter ablation and 17 of 23 patients (74%) who had nonprocedural treatment. Long-term pain relief was similar in patients with alcoholic and nonalcoholic pancreatitis.

Hereditary pancreatitis

Hereditary pancreatitis is an autosomal dominant condition, which results in recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis, progressing to chronic pancreatitis often at a young age. The majority of patients with hereditary pancreatitis express one of two mutations (R122H or N29I) in the cationic trypsinogen gene (PRSS1 gene). It has been hypothesised that one of these mutations, the R122H mutation causes pancreatitis by altering a trypsin recognition site so preventing deactivation of trypsin within the pancreas and prolonging its action, resulting in autodigestion. Families with these two mutations have been identified in many countries and there are also other rarer mutations, which have also been linked to hereditary pancreatitis.

Patients with hereditary pancreatitis present in the same way as those with sporadic pancreatitis but at an earlier age. It is common for patients to remain undiagnosed for many years, particularly if they present with non-specific symptoms. Hereditary pancreatitis should always be considered in patients who present with recurrent pancreatitis with a family history of pancreatic disease. If patients with the 2 common mutations are compared, those with the R122H mutation are more likely to present at a younger age and are more likely to require surgical intervention than those with N29I. Hereditary pancreatitis carries a 40% lifetime risk of pancreatic cancer with those patients aged between 50 to 70 being most at risk in whom screening tests may become important.

Detection of oncogenes in chronic pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

The pathogenesis of chronic pancreatitis (CP) remains poorly understood. Recently, molecular biology has identified the genetic background for many patients with hereditary CP. In addition, a number of studies have focused on the detection of proto-oncogenes and tumour suppressor gene mutations in the pathogenesis of CP. So far, the use of these mutations (with the exception of mutations causing hereditary CP), as diagnostic and prognostic markers is still controversial.

DISCUSSION

It is well known that the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with CP, especially the hereditary form, is high. At present, there is insufficient evidence to show a clear relationship between the development of pancreatic cancer and certain mutations. New biotechnological methods, such as DNA array expression analysis, expand our knowledge of the molecular pathogenesis of this disease and may help to develop specific diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic tools. However, until long-term studies examine the safety and efficacy of certain genetic markers, long-term follow-up of patients with CP who harbour mutations is needed.

Mucins in gastrointestinal cancers

The mucin family has been under study by molecular biologists, biochemists, pathologists and immunologists interested in cancer because of the role these molecules can play in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Immense knowledge has been accumulated, but the high speed of progress in the laboratory has not been matched by the progress towards applying this knowledge in the clinic. For example, specific knowledge of cancer-associated changes in the expression and glycosylation of various mucins, which can aid in the diagnosis as well as prognosis of GI cancers, has not yet led to the use of a panel of anti-mucin antibodies as a standard diagnostic tool. Similarly, many more opportunities exist for using mucin-based therapies than are currently being considered in the clinic. This chapter aimed to highlight some of these opportunities and to interest clinician scientists in exploring them in the near future.

Challenging pancreatic cancer-prone pedigrees: a nosologic dilemma

OBJECTIVES

Our objective is to describe 11 pancreatic cancer (PC)-prone families, none of which are consonant with known hereditary cancer syndromes, in an attempt to portray familial aggregations of this disease that might be encountered in a clinical practice setting.

METHODS

We selected 11 families containing two or more first- and/or second-degree relatives affected with PC from a registry of 200 PC-prone kindreds. Each proband and/or key relative(s) was interviewed and completed a detailed family history questionnaire (after providing informed consent) that allowed us to extend the pedigree as far as possible with retrieval of primary medical and pathology documents, whenever available.

RESULTS

All of the 11 families show PC features that merit clinical attention and raise questions as to whether this familial clustering could be due to "chance" alone, exposure to certain common environmental factors, such as cigarette smoking, and/or polygenic, multifactorial, or Mendelian inherited factors.

CONCLUSIONS

It is estimated that about 5% of PC may have a primary hereditary etiology. Because of early death, reduced penetrance, and often profuse phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity, particularly with respect to variable age of onset and association with diverse patterns of cancer at different anatomic sites, the pedigrees require extension for ultimate diagnosis. Physician knowledge about PC's natural history and syndrome delineation should ultimately foster earlier diagnoses and possibly prevention of this disease. These high-risk patients may provide a source of DNA for formal linkage analysis in the search for culprit cancer-prone susceptibility loci.

Pancreatic cancer biology and genetics

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is an aggressive and devastating disease, which is characterized by invasiveness, rapid progression and profound resistance to treatment. Advances in pathological classification and cancer genetics have improved our descriptive understanding of this disease; however, important aspects of pancreatic cancer biology remain poorly understood. What is the pathogenic role of specific gene mutations? What is the cell of origin? And how does the stroma contribute to tumorigenesis? A better understanding of pancreatic cancer biology should lead the way to more effective treatments.

Premalignant conditions of the pancreas

Premalignant conditions of the pancreas include benign tumours of the pancreas, intraepithelial neoplasia arising within pancreatic ducts, and tumours of the neuroendocrine cells of the pancreas. In addition, there is a variety of rare genetic conditions that predispose to pancreatic exocrine malignancies such as Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer syndrome, familial pancreatitis, germline BRCA2 mutations, and pancreatic endocrine malignancies such as type 1 neurofibromatosis (von Recklinghausen's disease) and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1. More controversial is the concept of chronic pancreatitis and diabetes mellitus as conditions that increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. However, there is no doubt that smoking is a potentiating factor for pancreatic cancer, especially in people who have familial/genetic risk factors. This review will include the recently proposed new nomenclature and classification system for intraepithelial neoplasia in the pancreatic ducts, an overview of the various familial syndromes that are associated with an increased risk of pancreatic tumours, the surveillance programmes that have been introduced to monitor such families, and methods for early diagnosis.

CDKN2A germline mutations in familial pancreatic cancer

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the prevalence of mutations in the CDKN2A gene encoding p16 and p14 in familial pancreatic cancer (FPC).

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

The genetic basis of FPC is still widely unknown. Recently, it has been shown that germline mutations in the p16 tumor suppressor gene can predispose to pancreatic cancer. The presence of p14 germline mutations has yet not been determined in this setting.

METHODS

Eighteen families with at least two first-degree relatives with histologically confirmed pancreatic cancer and five families with at least one patient with pancreatic cancer and another first-degree relative with malignant melanoma of the German National Case Collection for Familial Pancreatic Cancer were analyzed for CDKN2A germline mutations including p16 and p14 by direct DNA sequencing. All participating family members were genetically counseled and evaluated by a three-generation pedigree.

RESULTS

None of 18 FPC families without malignant melanoma revealed p16 mutations, compared to 2 of 5 families with pancreatic cancer and melanoma. Truncating p16 germline mutations Q50X and E119X were identified in the affected patients of pancreatic cancer plus melanoma families. None of the 23 families revealed p14 germline mutations.

CONCLUSIONS

CDKN2A germline mutations are rare in FPC families. However, these data provide further evidence for a pancreatic cancer-melanoma syndrome associated with CDKN2A germline mutations affecting p16. Thus, all members of families with combined occurrence of pancreatic cancer and melanoma should be counseled and offered screening for p16 mutations to identify high-risk family members who should be enrolled in a clinical screening program.

Genetics and pancreatic disease

The recognition that variations in the DNA sequence of key genes predispose individuals to acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer represents one of the greatest breakthroughs in pancreas research. This review highlights recent progress in understanding mutations in the cationic trypsinogen gene, the pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor gene, and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene with respect to pancreatitis. It also notes progress in the use of microarray technology, classification of chronic pancreatitis, and predisposition to pancreatic cancer.

Update of familial pancreatic cancer in Germany

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The prevalence of familial pancreatic cancer (FPC) and the characteristics of FPC have not yet been well investigated in the German population. Therefore, a German case collection for FPC was established in July 1999 to collect and evaluate data on FPC families.

METHODS

The prevalence of pancreatic cancer (PC) as well as other tumours and diseases was studied in families with at least 2 first-degree relatives with histologically confirmed PC, and in families of patients with PC and a first-degree relative with malignant melanoma. All participating family members were genetically counselled and evaluated by a standardised questionnaire.

RESULTS

In an 18-month period, 73 independent kindreds with potential FPC contacted the national case collection. So far, 20 kindreds have fulfilled the criteria for FPC and have undergone complete workups. Most families revealed an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. Twelve families revealed an isolated accumulation of PC. Importantly, in 8 of 20 (35%) families, additional tumour types such as melanoma, breast and prostate cancer occurred.

CONCLUSION

The observed phenotypic heterogeneity indicates an association with predisposing tumour suppressor genes p16 and BRCA2 in up to 30% of FPC families. Mutation analysis of these candidate genes might lead to the identification of the predisposing gene defect in a proportion of FPC families.