Germline PALB2 mutation analysis in breast–pancreas cancer families

Genetic mutations in the PALB2 gene have been implicated in predisposition to pancreatic cancer as well as breast cancer. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether PALB2 mutations are also found in families that have a history of both breast and pancreatic cancers. In 77 breast-pancreas cancer families, including 22 patients with a personal history of both breast cancer and pancreatic cancer, we did not find any mutations in the PALB2 gene. As such, routine genetic screening of breast-pancreas cancer families for the PALB2 genetic mutation is likely to be low yield. (By Zsofia K. Stadler, MD, http://jmg.bmj.com/content/early/2011/03/16/jmg.2010.087379.abstract?papetoc )