| General Facts |
| Approximately 60 000 diagnoses per year in the US |
| Incidence of about 1% over lifetime |
| The tenth to eleventh leading cause of cancer in the US |
| Third leading cause of cancer-related mortality |
| 5-year survival (all-comers), 10% |
| Median age at diagnosis, 71 years |
| Male/female incidence ratio: 1.3/1.0 |
| 50% of patients present with metastatic disease (AJCC stage IV) |
| 30% of patients present with locally advanced disease (AJCC stage III) |
| 20% of patients present with localized resectable disease (AJCC stage I and II) |
| Most common causative germline alterations: BRCA2, BRCA1, ATM, PALB2 |
| Common sites of metastasis: liver, lymph node, lung, and peritoneum |
| Rare sites of metastasis: skin, brain, and leptomeninges |
| Lifestyle Risk Factors |
| Tobacco |
| Excess alcohol consumption (chronic pancreatitis) |
| Obesity (body mass index >30), metabolic disorders, low levels of physical activity |
| Diet: high fat, polyunsaturated fats, processed meats |
| Genetic Risk Factors a |
| Hereditary breast and ovary cancer syndrome (BRCA1/2, PALB2; 5%–9%) |
| Ataxia-telangiectasia (ATM; approximately 3%–4%) |
| Familial atypical multiple mole and melanoma syndrome (CDKN2A, p16; <1%) |
| Lynch syndrome (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, EPCAM; <1%) |
| Hereditary pancreatitis (PRSS1, SPINK1; <1%) |
| Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (STK11; <1%) |
Abbreviation: AJCC, American Joint Committee on Cancer.
a
Percentages indicate the frequency per 100 unselected patients diagnosed with pancreas cancer.