Hereditary Pancreatitis — recurrent acute pancreatitis beginning in childhood with a 40% lifetime pancreatic cancer risk, where molecular diagnosis enables enrollment in surveillance programs that can detect cancer at a curable stage.
Whole genome sequencing evaluates PRSS1, SPINK1, CTRC, and CFTR simultaneously — the complete molecular panel for hereditary pancreatitis — enabling risk-stratified pancreatic cancer surveillance and informed genetic counseling.
Hereditary Pancreatitis
Hereditary pancreatitis (HP) is an autosomal dominant condition caused primarily by gain-of-function variants in PRSS1 (cationic trypsinogen, chromosome 7q34). PRSS1 variants prevent trypsin autoinactivation, leading to premature intrapancreatic trypsinogen activation and recurrent pancreatic autodigestion. The most common pathogenic variants are p.Arg122His (R122H) and p.Asn29Ile (N29I). Additional genes contribute to pancreatitis susceptibility: SPINK1 (serine protease inhibitor Kazal type 1, a trypsin inhibitor), CTRC (chymotrypsin C, involved in trypsin degradation), and CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator — heterozygous CFTR variants increase chronic pancreatitis risk).
HP typically presents with the first episode of acute pancreatitis in childhood (median age 10 years). Recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis progress to chronic pancreatitis with exocrine insufficiency (fat malabsorption, steatorrhea, nutritional deficiency) and endocrine insufficiency (pancreatogenic diabetes). The defining clinical concern is a dramatically elevated lifetime risk of pancreatic adenocarcinoma — approximately 40% by age 70, representing a 50-80x increased risk compared to the general population. This is the highest known familial risk for pancreatic cancer.
The International Cancer of the Pancreas Screening (CAPS) consortium and NCCN guidelines recommend annual pancreatic cancer surveillance — endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and/or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) — beginning at age 40 (or 20 years after symptom onset, whichever is earlier) for patients with confirmed hereditary pancreatitis. Several early-stage pancreatic cancers have been detected through these surveillance programs, representing a survival benefit that would not be possible without screening. Enrollment in formal surveillance programs requires molecular confirmation of the HP diagnosis.
CFTR heterozygous carriers (who do not have cystic fibrosis) have an approximately 2-4x increased risk of chronic pancreatitis, especially when carrying a second susceptibility variant in SPINK1 or CTRC.
Recurrent pancreatitis in a young person has multiple genetic causes. PRSS1, SPINK1, CTRC, and CFTR must all be evaluated — along with gene-gene interactions — to determine the complete genetic pancreatitis risk profile.
A 40% lifetime pancreatic cancer risk is actionable — surveillance programs detect cancer at curable stages
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the most lethal major cancer — 5-year survival is approximately 12% for all stages and approximately 44% for localized disease. In hereditary pancreatitis, the 40% lifetime risk justifies annual EUS/MRCP surveillance beginning at age 40 (CAPS consensus). Multiple early-stage pancreatic cancers have been detected through HP-specific screening programs, offering surgical resection with curative intent. Without molecular HP diagnosis, patients may not be referred to these surveillance programs — instead receiving standard-risk monitoring that does not include pancreatic imaging.
Gene-gene interactions determine whether a SPINK1 carrier develops pancreatitis — multiple genes must be evaluated together
SPINK1 variants (particularly p.Asn34Ser, carrier frequency approximately 1-3% in European populations) are not fully penetrant — most carriers never develop pancreatitis. However, SPINK1 variants dramatically increase pancreatitis risk in combination with CFTR heterozygous variants, CTRC variants, or environmental factors (alcohol use, smoking). This gene-gene interaction means that evaluating a single pancreatitis gene in isolation provides incomplete risk information. Whole genome sequencing evaluates PRSS1, SPINK1, CTRC, CFTR, and additional susceptibility loci simultaneously, capturing the full genetic risk architecture.
Your full DNA (not just a part of it)
Traditional genetic testing looks at narrow sets of genes, missing most parts of your genome. We sequence your full genome — every gene and every region between genes.
Comprehensive insights and specialized reports
Easy to read and with answers you and your doctor can act on. Not a file to interpret — 200+ clinical reports, organized by category.
Your test becomes more valuable every year
Your DNA does not change, but genome science is accelerating. Every month, new variant-disease associations are discovered. We validate these findings and update your reports automatically. Your test becomes more valuable every year.
The results doctors bring to their hardest cases.
Forty years of uncertainty. One test.
A patient had spent decades in the UK healthcare system without a diagnosis. Dante data, accepted by NHS clinical teams at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow, identified Noonan Syndrome and a RUNX1 leukemia-associated variant that had gone undetected. After 40 years, they finally had an answer.
A complete read delivers a complete picture.
A patient came to Dante to investigate periodic paralysis. Reading the complete genome identified a concurrent hereditary cardiac finding — Brugada syndrome — that their doctor confirmed with an ECG. The result also explained a family member's unresolved cardiac history. One test. Every answer in it.
Sequenced in 2019. The data worked in 2021.
Jennifer sequenced her genome with Dante two years before her breast cancer diagnosis. When treatment began, Dante's pharmacogenomics data showed her prescribed chemotherapy would cause serious adverse effects. Her doctor selected an alternative — and she started effective treatment from day one.
Every genetic question deserves a complete answer.
Whether you are searching for answers today or protecting your health for tomorrow, a complete read of your entire genome is the only place to start.
It runs in your family. Now you can know if it runs in your genes.
Your genome contains inherited variants associated with medical conditions like cardiac, cancer, and neurological. We read all of them — with the clinical depth to give the result meaning.
Learn more →When traditional lab tests say you're fine. And you know you're not.
Standard diagnostic tests check for a pre-selected set of answers. We sequence your full DNA — including parts that no test was designed to check. If the answer is in your genome, we will help you find it.
Learn more →Your diagnosis may be right. Your treatment plan may be incomplete.
Your genes determine which treatments are most likely to work — and which are not. We give your doctor the tools and insights to inform your treatment plan.
Learn more →You want to know before something forces the question.
Some people don't wait for a diagnosis or a family history to act. Whole genome sequencing gives you the complete genetic picture now — so you and your doctor can make informed decisions before anything becomes urgent.
Learn more →You already took a DNA test. Here's what it couldn't tell you.
Most consumer DNA tests read less than 0.1% of your genome. We read all of it.
Learn more →Clinical-grade results. Chosen by individuals, trusted by doctors for their most complex cases.
Dante Genome Test helped specialists at a UK national acute hospital in the identification of Noonan Syndrome and a rare leukemia-associated genetic variant that had gone undetected. That result changed the medical care of the patient.
Accredited by & published in
Common questions about whole genome sequencing.
What is the difference between whole genome sequencing and a targeted genetic test?
Targeted genetic tests — including standard hereditary cancer panels — read a pre-defined list of known variants in a specific set of genes. They are designed to find what they already know to look for. Whole genome sequencing reads your entire genome: all 6 billion base pairs, every gene, every region between genes. A Mayo Clinic study published in JAMA Oncology found that standard testing guidelines missed more than half of patients with inherited cancer mutations. Genome Test does not have a fixed list.
What will I receive when my results are ready?
Your Dante Genome delivers 200+ physician-ready reports organized by clinical category — hereditary cancer, cardiac conditions, rare diseases, pharmacogenomics, carrier status, and more. Reports are delivered to your secure Genome Manager and are formatted for direct clinical use. Your genome data is permanently retained and re-analyzed automatically as science advances.
What happens if a clinically significant variant is found?
If a pathogenic or likely-pathogenic variant is identified, it will be clearly flagged in your physician-ready report with clinical context, published evidence, and recommended next steps. We recommend sharing any clinically significant finding with your physician or a genetic counselor, who can guide decisions about surveillance, risk reduction, or cascade testing for family members.
How is this different from a consumer DNA test like 23andMe or AncestryDNA?
Consumer DNA tests use genotyping chips that read less than 0.1% of your genome — a tiny pre-selected set of common variants. They are optimized for ancestry and population-level traits, not clinical genetic findings. The Dante Genome Test sequences 100% of your genome at 30X coverage, the same standard used in clinical diagnostic settings. The two tests are not comparable in scope, methodology, or clinical utility.
How long does it take to get results, and how are they delivered?
Your collection kit ships within 48 hours of ordering. Once your sample arrives at our CLIA-certified laboratory, sequencing and analysis takes 6–8 weeks. Results are delivered securely to your Genome Manager, where you can access your reports, share them with your physician, and receive automatic updates as new findings are validated against your genome.
We work with patient advocacy groups worldwide.
Dante Labs works with patient advocacy groups of any size — for Hereditary Pancreatitis and other conditions, rare and common. We support groups in any country, including virtual patient advocacy groups.
We can provide customized reports, group discounts, and packages tailored for your members. Please reach out using the form and we'll be in touch within two business days.
- Custom genomic reports for your members
- Group discounts and tailored packages
- Any country — including virtual groups
- Rare and common conditions covered
Message received.
We'll be in touch within 2 business days. To follow up directly: hello@dantelabs.com
One test.
A lifetime of answers.
One kit, sent to your home. Your entire genome sequenced at the clinical standard used for diagnostic decisions. 200+ physician-ready reports delivered to your Genome Manager in 6–8 weeks — permanent and updated as science advances.
Ships within 48 hours · Results in 6–8 weeks
