Living with Familial pancreatic carcinoma
Pancreatic cancer that occurs in two or more close relatives, often with inherited risk passed down in families.
Understanding Familial pancreatic carcinoma
It is usually called this when there is no known hereditary cancer syndrome in the family. Symptoms are general and may include pain in the upper belly that spreads to the back, loss of appetite, weight loss, and yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice). It usually starts in adulthood.
Signs & symptoms
Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD lists these among the most common:
- Pain in the upper belly or back
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)
- Tiredness
- Trouble digesting food
Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Diagnosis
- 1Talk with your doctor
Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.
- 2See a specialist
Specialists who may be involved include cancer specialists, digestive system specialists and genetic specialists.
- 3Ask which tests can help
Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.
- 4Connect with expert centers
National Pancreas Foundation and FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered may keep lists of experts for this condition.
Care & treatment
- Care team
- Cancer specialists (oncologists); Digestive system specialists (gastroenterologists); Genetic specialists (geneticists)
- Expert care
- Expert lists: National Pancreas Foundation, FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered
- Treatment
- GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
- Research
- Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.
General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.
Everyday life
Living with a rare condition is easier with support.
- Connect with National Pancreas Foundation and other patient organizations
- Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
- Ask about patient registries that help research
- Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Quick facts
No specific genetic cause has been found when no known syndrome is present. Often it is passed down in an autosomal dominant way, and in some cases it may be multifactorial, meaning several factors play a role.
Also known as: familial pancreatic cancer; hereditary exocrine pancreatic carcinoma; hereditary pancreatic cancer; hereditary pancreatic carcinoma
Patient organizations
- National Pancreas FoundationFamilial pancreatic carcinoma · United States
- FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer EmpoweredFamilial pancreatic carcinoma · United States
- Pancreatic Cancer Action NetworkFamilial pancreatic carcinoma · United States
- American Cancer SocietyPancreatic tumors · United States
You are more than your diagnosis
Perspectives from people navigating life with Familial pancreatic carcinoma.
Explore research for Familial pancreatic carcinoma
Explore actively recruiting Familial pancreatic carcinoma studies with HealthSpark.
Find actively recruiting studies for Familial pancreatic carcinoma with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.
- Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
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- Eligibility is confirmed by the study team
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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.
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