Information for Health Care Professionals
Around 10% of pancreatic cancer cases are linked to inherited factors. These occur in families with a history of either pancreatic cancer or hereditary pancreatitis or who carry an at-risk genetic mutation predisposing to these conditions. NICE guidance (NG85) recommends surveillance for people with an inherited high-risk ideally to detect pancreatic cancer earlier.
EUROPAC’s aim is to develop early detection methods for pancreatic cancer, by better understanding risk and offering surveillance to those who take part and to continuously refine who to and how we provide surveillance to individuals.
NHS England is working with EUROPAC to provide a route from the NHS into their national surveillance program run at NHS Trusts across the country for people who may be at high risk of pancreatic cancer.
Who can you refer?
Family History of Pancreatic Cancer
Two or more relatives of first-degree kinship (e.g., sibling, parent, and grandparent) affected by pancreatic cancer.
Three or more relatives affected by pancreatic cancer (on the same side of the family i.e., maternal, or paternal).
Families with known cancer syndromes
Carrier of a known genetic mutation and one family member affected by pancreatic cancer. BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, PALB2, Lynch Syndrome/ HNPCC, FAMMM/ Multiple Melanoma.
Individuals with a clinical diagnosis of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.
Hereditary Pancreatitis
Families with two or more relatives with idiopathic pancreatitis.
Individuals affected by Idiopathic pancreatitis. (excluding individuals with alcohol, drug, gallstone pancreatitis).
Families with at least one case of pancreatitis and a confirmed causative mutation in the PRSS1 gene