Pancreatic cancer, particularly a type known as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), stands as one of the most formidable types of cancer, with survival rates that are dishearteningly low.
Only about 8% of those diagnosed live beyond five years, highlighting the dire need for more effective treatments. In this relentless search for solutions, a team of scientists at the Francis Crick Institute, under the guidance of Axel Behrens, has uncovered a promising lead that might pave the way for new therapeutic approaches.
The researchers concentrated on a specific group of cells within these tumors, known as cancer stem cells. These cells are particularly notorious for their ability to regenerate tumor cells, contributing to the cancer’s growth and spread.
This is similar to how healthy stem cells repair tissue damage, but in this case, they perpetuate the disease.
Identifying and studying these cancer stem cells is crucial for developing new cancer treatments. The team made a significant discovery by finding a protein named CD9 on the surface of these cells.
CD9 is not merely a bystander; it’s actively involved in the cancer’s aggression. This protein is present from the tumor’s early stages through to its advanced growth, acting as a beacon for these malignant cells.
In their experiments with mice, the scientists observed that decreasing CD9 levels in the tumor cells led to smaller tumors. Conversely, boosting CD9 levels had the opposite effect, encouraging rapid growth and larger tumors.
This correlation between CD9 levels and tumor size was further supported by patient data, revealing that around 10% of patients with elevated CD9 levels have a poorer prognosis.
The team delved deeper to understand CD9’s role in cancer progression and discovered its influence on how cancer cells consume nutrients.
Specifically, CD9 facilitates the intake of glutamine, a nutrient vital for the cells’ energy. The more glutamine these cancer cells absorb, the faster they grow.
This breakthrough opens up the potential for new treatments targeting CD9, aiming to disrupt the cancer cells’ nutrient uptake.
By cutting off their glutamine supply, it’s possible to starve the cancer cells, inhibiting their growth. Such a strategy could significantly impact the fight against pancreatic cancer, offering hope where it’s desperately needed.
While the road from discovery to treatment is complex and fraught with challenges, it’s discoveries like these that light the way forward.
Targeting CD9 could represent a major advancement in treating pancreatic cancer, providing a beacon of hope for patients facing this grave diagnosis. The journey continues, but with each step, we move closer to potentially saving lives and conquering one of the most lethal forms of cancer.
If you care about cancer risk, please read studies that exercise may stop cancer in its tracks, and vitamin D can cut cancer death risk.
For more information about cancer, please see recent studies that yogurt and high-fiber diet may cut lung cancer risk, and results showing that new cancer treatment may reawaken the immune system.
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