The 20 Best Familial Pancreatic Cancer Doctors Near Me in Port Angeles, WA

Familial pancreatic cancer (FPC) is the occurrence of pancreatic cancer in two or more first-degree relatives (parent and child, or two siblings). It is sometimes referred to as FPC only when there is not a known hereditary cancer syndrome in an affected family. In 60% of cases it occurs within the head of the pancreas. Symptoms of pancreatic cancer are generally non-specific and may include pain in the upper abdomen that radiates to the back; loss of appetite; significant weight loss; and jaundice due to bile duct obstruction. Pancreatic cancer often goes undetected until the advanced stages of the disease, and rapid tumor growth and metastasis are common. A specific genetic cause of FPC (in the absence of a known syndrome) has not been identified. Familial cases of pancreatic cancer due to hereditary conditions may be caused by genetic changes in any of several genes. Individuals who carry a genetic change in one of these genes are often at an increased risk of other types of cancers as well. In many cases, inheritance of a predisposition to develop FPC is autosomal dominant. In some cases, is may be multifactorial.