Recent discoveries in cancer genetics of exocrine pancreatic neoplasia

Within the past 4 years major advances in our understanding of pancreatic carcinogenesis have been made. The discovery of a high frequency of mutations in the tumor suppressor genes p16 and p53 together with an extraordinary high rate of K-ras mutations have shed light on how the disturbance of cell cycle control is a major hallmark in this tumor type. Furthermore, another very recently identified tumor suppressor gene, DPC4 (deleted in pancreatic carcinoma, locus 4), revealed that the TGF beta-Smad signalling pathway is also likely to contribute to the development of this tumor type. It is now hoped that our improved knowledge of the molecular profile of pancreatic carcinoma will also translate into better diagnostic and therapeutic options to deal with this dismal disease.