SPARC and familial pancreatic carcinoma: The pancreatic cancer extracellular matrix (ECM) is composed of collagens, noncollagen glycoproteins, glycosamminoglycans, growth factors and proteoglycans as well as modulators of the cell matrix interaction such as periostin, tenascin C, SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine) and thrombospondin.