One of the deadliest forms of cancer is Pancreatic Cancer with a very low survival rate. Within the first year of diagnosis, three out of four patients lose their lives. Only about 10% of patients survive for five years, making pancreatic cancer extremely difficult to treat. However, new research is giving hope to patients by improving early detection and treatment methods.
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The Challenge of Pancreatic Cancer
One of the biggest challenges in fighting pancreatic cancer is detecting it early. Most cases are diagnosed too late, making treatment nearly impossible. The survival rate after five years is only between 6-14%. Scientists and doctors are working hard to find better ways to detect pancreatic cancer early and develop more effective treatments.
Early Detection: A Ray of Hope
Researchers believe that biomarkers in the blood may help detect pancreatic cancer early. A recent study is published by Maher and his collaborators in the journal Scientific Reports. In this study they analyzed blood samples to identify cancerous biomarkers from precancerous cysts in the pancreas.
About 13 – 18% of people have these cysts (a blister on the surface of the pancreas that is filled with a mix of biological material and fluid), but only some develop into cancer. Currently, doctors use invasive procedure to assess the risk of these cysts turning into cancer.
This includes imaging, but also endoscopy using a needle to puncture and remove sample fluid from the cyst. Because cystic fluid can leak into the bloodstream, Maher’s team has studied expansive pancreatic cancer datasets to identify 10 different protein and microRNA biomarkers. Together, these would indicate whether a pancreatic cyst could become cancerous or not.
“We’re also trying to identify molecules within the cyst fluids that could be therapeutically targetable [to treat the pancreatic cancer],” said Maher.
However, a new method using blood biomarkers may provide a less invasive and more effective way to detect the disease early.
Another research team from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), in the United States has developed a test that is 85% accurate in detecting early-stage pancreatic cancer. This test targets a single activated protein known to “prime” the body for cancer growth.
Jose Luis Montoya Mira, a cancer researcher at OHSU who was involved in the research said, “We have optimized our assay to target [this] one specific protein.”
Study lead author Jared Fischer said being able to identify early warning signs for pancreatic cancer could be the difference between life and death. But he also said:
“We also need better imaging to know exactly where the tumor is. [And] you need better therapeutics to then treat the tumor.”
Otherwise, incomplete treatment can cause tumors to come back worse than they were before.
New Treatment Options for Pancreatic Cancer
Even if pancreatic cancer is detected, treating it is very difficult. The cancerous tumors are often surrounded by a tough barrier called “stroma”, which makes it hard for frugs to reach and destroy them.
Surgery is an option if the cancer has not spread beyond the pancreas. In some cases, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used before or after surgery. However, scientists are working on new treatments to overcome the challenges posed by pancreatic tumors.
A research team at German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg has discovered that pancreatic tumors invade nerve cells and reprogram them to create a friendly environment for cancer growth. Even after surgery, these altered nerves can cause the cancer to return. Scientists are now testing drugs like nab-paclitaxel to stop this process and prevent tumors from coming back.
The Road Ahead
While these advancements are promising, they are still in the early stages. It will take years before these new detection methods and treatments become widely available. Scientists remain hopeful and continue to work hard to make progress in the fight against pancreatic cancer. Fischer said:
“We’re going to push as hard as we can, we are not there yet, it’s going to take years. People are excited about it and that’s great, we love it, but they also need to understand that it’s going to take time.”
These three groups are each planning early clinical trials, taking their medicine from identifying biomarkers in blood samples or cancer behavior in mice into a rigorous test with real people.
Pancreatic cancer remains a tough disease to beat, but research is paving the way for better diagnosis and treatment. With time, early detection tests and advanced therapies could improve survival rates and give hope to thousands of patients worldwide.