The overall 5-year survival rate is only 6%, and remains <25% even after curative surgery, thus making it one of the most lethal tumours.1 Recently, a whole-genome search was performed in pancreatic cancer, identifying four major genetic mutations, namely in KRAS, p53, CDKN2A and SMAD4/DPC4.2 The gene discussed is SMAD4; the disease is familial pancreatic carcinoma.