Their findings echo those of previous studies.

"We have found mutations which are likely to explain in a subgroup of families with pancreatic cancer cases why the disease occurs," says Dr. Stephan A. Hahn, a professor of oncology at the Knappschaftskrankenhaus University of Bochum in Bochum, Germany.

Hahn is also co-author of the new study, which appears in the Feb. 5 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Hahn and his colleagues identified 26 European families with at least two first-degree relatives -- a sister or father, for instance -- with pancreatic cancer. After testing them, the researchers found that 19 percent of the families had at least one member who had either a mutation or a variant of BRCA2.

While the new research confirms findings in previous studies, including one done by Johns Hopkins University researchers, Hahn says the study population for his study is broader.Taken together, the studies "make a strong case that a certain percent of familial pancreatic cancer is likely caused by BRCA2 mutations," Hahn says. Exactly why is not known, he adds.The pancreas, a six-inch gland located deep in the abdomen between the stomach and the spine, makes insulin to help the body's cells use the sugar brought to them by the blood, and makes digestive chemicals that help break down food.

In the United States, pancreatic cancer kills about 29,000 persons a year, according to the National Cancer Institute, making it the fifth-leading cause of cancer deaths.

A genetic counselor at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles calls the new study "important," and says it is a welcome contribution to the body of knowledge about pancreatic cancer, which remains a puzzle to cancer experts.

"We don't know that much about pancreatic cancer," says Joyce Seldon, a certified genetic counselor.

Men are more likely than women to get pancreatic cancer, and cigarette smokers have two to three times the risk of nonsmokers, according to the National Cancer Institute. Diabetics are also more likely to get it. And about 10 percent of pancreatic cancer patients may have an inherited form of the disease, Hahn says.

"What this study is breaking ground on is the association between BRCA2 and pancreatic cancer," Seldon says. "What the actual risks are is not yet known."

What should people do at this point? Hahn says if a family has "familial pancreatic cancer" -- defined as families with at least two first-degree relatives with pancreatic cancer -- members should seek information from a specialized center that has genetics counselors on staff.

"It's hard to tell them how much of a risk [they have]," Hahn says.

"Proper counseling is important," adds Gloria Petersen, a research scientist and professor of epidemiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who co-authored an editorial accompanying the study. "But we also recommend [getting it from] a research setting at this time."

Those who may already know they have the BRCA 2 mutation should not be alarmed, Seldon says. "We know [from the research] the risk [of pancreatic cancer for those with BRCA2] is higher than the general population. How much higher, I don't think we know," she says.

More information

For information on pancreatic cancer, check with the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute.