Pancreatic cancer is known for being particularly tough to treat, with a type called pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) being one of the most aggressive.
For people diagnosed with this cancer, the outlook has been quite bleak, as only about 8 out of 100 people live longer than five years after being diagnosed.
However, a recent study from the Francis Crick Institute brings a ray of hope for new ways to fight this disease.
The heart of this research is something called cancer stem cells. These cells are a bit like the bad seeds of the tumor, helping it to start and keep growing, much like how good stem cells help heal and repair our bodies.
Figuring out how to spot and tackle these cancer stem cells is key to coming up with better treatments.
Leading the charge, Axel Behrens and his team published their findings in Nature Cell Biology, focusing on a protein named CD9. This protein sits on the surface of cancer stem cells and is not just a bystander; it plays a big role in making the cancer as bad as it is.
By experimenting with CD9 levels in mice tumor cells, the researchers saw big changes. When they reduced the amount of CD9, the tumors got smaller.
But when they increased CD9, the cancer cells grew more quickly and formed bigger tumors. This link between CD9 levels and how aggressive the cancer is was also seen in real patients, where about 10 out of 100 people with pancreatic cancer had high levels of CD9.
Digging deeper, the team found out that CD9 helps the cancer by pulling in more glutamine, a type of amino acid that’s like food for the cancer cells.
This discovery is exciting because it suggests a new way to attack the cancer: by targeting CD9, it might be possible to cut off the cancer’s food supply, slowing its growth or even stopping it in its tracks.
This research opens up new doors for treating pancreatic cancer. If scientists can find a way to block CD9, they could potentially make a big difference in the fight against this aggressive cancer, giving new hope to patients and their families.
It’s a promising step forward in the ongoing battle against pancreatic cancer, hinting at the possibility of more effective treatments on the horizon.
This could mean a lot for future patients, potentially leading to better survival rates and giving many people a fighting chance against this tough disease.
If you care about cancer, please read studies that low-carb diet could increase overall cancer risk, and new way to increase the longevity of cancer survivors.
For more information about cancer, please see recent studies about how to fight cancer with these anti-cancer superfoods, and results showing daily vitamin D3 supplementation may reduce cancer death risk.
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