Comprehensive mRNA analysis of several growth factors in pancreatic cancer, including TGF-β, CTGF, aFGF, bFGF, PDGF A, PDGF C and EGF, resulted in the finding that TGF-β is likely to be a potent inducer of the desmoplastic reaction. This evidence concerns the gene PDGFC and familial pancreatic carcinoma.