Pancreatic cancer is one of the most challenging tumors to treat. Identifying patients who have more aggressive disease could better inform treatment decisions and predict survival prognosis. A new finding from scientists at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center may help.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most challenging tumors to treat. Identifying patients who have more aggressive disease could better inform treatment decisions and predict survival prognosis. A new finding from scientists at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center may help.
The team analyzed gene profiles of pancreatic tumors from patients with both localized and metastasized disease. They identified a six-gene “signature” associated with metastatic disease. Their study is the first to demonstrate that molecular differences in metastatic pancreatic cancer can be identified at earlier stages and that these differences are predictive of future disease behavior. This finding, if verified in further clinical studies, could help patients and physicians make more informed decisions about treatment and could offer new research opportunities into potential therapeutic targets to treat the disease. For full release