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To the Editor: Smoking approximately doubles the risk of pancreatic cancer,¹ the fourth most common cause of death from cancer in the United States. In addition, about 5% to 10% of patients have an inherited genetic predisposition to this tumor.² A large variety of germ-line defects have been detected in families with pancreatic cancer, including the familial pancreatic cancer syndrome, mutations in the BRCA2 gene, the familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome, hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal carcinoma syndrome, the Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, and hereditary pancreatitis.

We previously reported an exceptionally high risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with hereditary pancreatitis, a rare autosomal dominant disorder.³ We now report information on smoking as an additional risk factor in these indviduals.

Methods

By contacting gastroenterologists, pancreatologists, and surgeons, we have established a registry that now includes 497 patients with hereditary pancreatitis. Each respondent has submitted data about demographics, family history, diagnosis, disease course, life-style factors, . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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