Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly types of cancer. It is hard to find early, spreads very fast, and is often difficult to treat.
One of the most aggressive kinds is called pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, or PDAC. Sadly, only about 8 out of every 100 people with this disease live more than five years after they are diagnosed.
But there is some hope. Scientists from the Francis Crick Institute have found something new that could help lead to better treatments. The study was led by Dr. Axel Behrens and published in the journal Nature Cell Biology.
The researchers studied a special type of cell inside tumors called cancer stem cells. These are not like regular cancer cells. They are more like the body’s normal stem cells, which help repair damage.
In cancer, these cells can create new cancer cells. They are often the reason why cancer keeps growing, comes back after treatment, or spreads to other parts of the body.
The scientists looked at the genes that were active in these cancer stem cells. They found a protein called CD9 on the surface of these cells. This protein was found in tumors that were both early and late stage. That means CD9 could be a useful marker for finding dangerous cancer cells early.
But CD9 is not just a sign that cancer is present. It also plays a 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. But when they increased the CD9, the tumors became bigger and more dangerous. This shows that CD9 helps the cancer grow faster.
The researchers also studied data from real patients. About 10% of people with PDAC had high levels of CD9 in their tumors. These people had more serious cancer and worse outcomes. That means CD9 is not only a sign of cancer but also linked to how bad the cancer can get.
To find out why CD9 made cancer worse, the scientists looked at how cancer cells use nutrients. They found that CD9 helped cancer stem cells take in more of a nutrient called glutamine. Glutamine gives cells energy to grow. So with more CD9, the cancer cells took in more glutamine and had more fuel to grow and spread.
This is an important discovery. If doctors can block CD9, they might be able to stop the cancer from getting the fuel it needs. This could slow down or even stop the cancer. While more research is still needed, this finding brings new hope.
It shows that science is making progress. Every new discovery brings us closer to better ways to treat or cure even the most difficult cancers like pancreatic cancer.
If you care about cancer, please read studies that artificial sweeteners are linked to higher cancer risk, and how drinking milk affects risks of heart disease and cancer.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and results showing vitamin D supplements strongly reduces cancer death.
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