Introduction: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive malignancies, ranking as the twelfth most common cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Its etiology is multifactorial, involving both genetic and non-genetic factors. Objective: Investigate the relationship between epidemiological data on global incidence and mortality of pancreatic cancer and specific genetic variations known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Method: A total of 253 SNPs were analyzed, identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Allele frequencies were obtained from global population databases. Pearson’s correlation analysis was utilized to evaluate the relationships between SNPs frequencies, incidence, and mortality rates. Results: The results identified 16 significant SNPs (p<0.05), among which rs2816938, rs372883, and rs2236575 were highly significant (p<0.001). These variants were primarily associated with higher mortality rates, particularly in European and American populations, while African and Southeast Asian populations showed lower SNPs frequencies and lower mortality rates. The findings suggest that genetic predisposition plays a crucial role in pancreatic cancer susceptibility and progression. Conclusion: The correlation between SNPs frequencies and epidemiological data reinforces the influence of population-specific genetic risk factors, highlighting the importance of personalized approaches in screening, prevention, and treatment strategies.
Barbosa et al. (2025) studied this question.