Genetic landscape of pancreatic cancer: a narrative review

Abstract

Background and Objective: Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive disease with an impaired survival despite improvements in clinical management. Thus, understanding disease biology is of vital importance in order to overcome therapeutic challenges and achieve better prognosis. The purpose of this review is to outline the genetic landscape of pancreatic cancer along with its clinical implications. Methods: We reviewed existing literature using electronic databases to outline the genetic landscape in pancreatic cancer. Key Content and Findings: This review mainly contains information on the genetic background of pancreatic cancer, mainly KRAS, CDKN2A, TP53 and SMAD4, with emphasis on the importance of understanding disease biology. Conclusions: The genetic aspects of pancreatic cancer have been well described especially with the introduction of next generation sequencing techniques. Future studies focusing on translation of these alterations in clinical application might pave the way for personalized surveillance and therapy.