Barriers to Pancreatic Cancer Surveillance in High-Risk Individuals

Strategic Insights -

A new study has highlighted the obstacles that individuals with a higher genetic or familial risk of pancreatic cancer (PC) face when it comes to undergoing regular surveillance. The research, conducted by a team from the University of Pennsylvania and published in the Journal of Genetic Counseling, aimed to identify the reasons behind high-risk individuals' (HRIs) lack of participation in PC surveillance. The study found that logistical barriers, healthcare professional recommendations, and other health issues were among the top reasons HRIs ceased or deferred surveillance. Additionally, difficulties recalling surveillance recommendations, cost, and the invasiveness of procedures were cited as reasons for not commencing surveillance.

Key Takeaways:

  • Logistical barriers, including difficulties recalling surveillance recommendations, cost, and invasiveness of procedures, were the top reasons for HRIs ceasing or deferring PC surveillance.
  • Different healthcare professional recommendations and other health issues were also significant barriers for HRIs.
  • The study found that HRIs faced multiple barriers to PC surveillance, including the COVID-19 pandemic, moving from the service delivery area, cost, concerns about imaging studies, nonmedical life events, and fear.
  • Cancer genetics professionals must familiarize themselves with these barriers to reduce their impact and to facilitate recommended PC surveillance among HRIs.
  • The study highlights the need for targeted strategies to reduce PC surveillance barriers for HRIs.
  • The research involved 50 telephone interviews with HRIs who had either completed regular PC surveillance without issues, had a 2-year period without surveillance completion, or had not completed an initial surveillance imaging study.

Statistics:

  • 34.5% of the interviewees had familial PC, while 65.5% had a pathogenic variant associated with increased PC risk.
  • BRCA2 was the most common pathogenic variant identified in the study, present in 25.9% of the interviewees.
  • logistically barriers (N = 11, 34.4%), healthcare professional recommendations (N = 9, 28.1%), and other health issues (N = 8, 25.0%) were the top reasons for ceasing or deferring PC surveillance.
  • 27.8% of the reasons for not commencing PC surveillance were difficulties recalling surveillance recommendations.
  • 22.2% of the reasons for not commencing PC surveillance were cost, invasiveness of procedures, and difficulty remembering scheduling.

Sources:

  • (A new study on Oncology - Pancreatic Cancer is now available. - NewsRx)
  • Assessment of barriers to pancreatic cancer surveillance in high-risk individuals. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2025;34(5).
  • University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
  • Wiley, 111 River St, Hoboken 07030-5774, NJ, USA. (Springer - www.springer.com; Journal of Genetic Counseling - www.springerlink.com/content/1059-7700/)
  • Daniel Clay, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.