Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest types of cancer. It is hard to detect early, spreads quickly, and is often difficult to treat.
One of the most aggressive forms is called pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, or PDAC. Sadly, only about 8 out of every 100 people with this disease live longer than five years after their diagnosis.
However, scientists from the Francis Crick Institute have found something new that may lead to better treatments. The study was led by Dr. Axel Behrens and published in the science journal Nature Cell Biology.
The researchers were interested in a certain type of cell found in tumors called cancer stem cells. These cells are similar to the stem cells in healthy organs. In healthy tissues, stem cells help repair damage.
But in cancer, these special cells can create new cancer cells. They help the tumor grow and spread, and are often the reason why cancer comes back after treatment or spreads to other parts of the body.
The team looked at which genes were active in these cancer stem cells and discovered a protein called CD9 on their surface. This protein was found in both early-stage and late-stage tumors. This means that CD9 may be useful for spotting dangerous cancer cells even in the early stages of the disease.
But CD9 is not just a marker. It also plays a big role in making the cancer worse. When the scientists lowered the amount of CD9 in mice with pancreatic cancer, the tumors did not grow as much.
When they increased the amount of CD9, the tumors became larger and more aggressive. This showed that CD9 helps the cancer cells grow faster and become more dangerous.
The scientists also looked at data from real patients. They found that about 10% of people with PDAC had high levels of CD9 in their tumors. These patients had worse outcomes, meaning their cancer was more serious and harder to treat.
To understand why CD9 made the cancer worse, the researchers studied how the cancer cells used nutrients. They found that CD9 helped cancer stem cells take in more glutamine, which is a nutrient that helps cells grow. By taking in more glutamine, the cancer cells got more fuel to grow and spread.
This finding is important because it shows a possible new way to treat pancreatic cancer. If doctors can find a way to block CD9, they might be able to stop the cancer from getting the glutamine it needs. This could slow down or even stop the cancer from growing.
Even though more research is needed, this discovery brings hope. It gives scientists a new target for future treatments and opens the door to finding better ways to manage or cure pancreatic cancer.
This study is a reminder that science is always moving forward, searching for better ways to fight the toughest diseases and save more lives.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
