Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a dangerous and fast-growing form of pancreatic cancer. It spreads quickly and is very hard to treat.
Sadly, only about 8% of people diagnosed with this cancer survive more than five years.
But scientists are working hard to find better treatments—and a recent discovery by researchers at the Francis Crick Institute gives new hope.
Led by Axel Behrens, the research team focused on a special type of cell in tumors called cancer stem cells. These cells are similar to normal stem cells that repair our body, but in cancer, they cause more harm than good. Cancer stem cells can create new tumors and grow into different types of cancer cells, which makes the disease harder to control.
The team discovered that a protein called CD9 appears on the surface of these cancer stem cells. Whether the tumor is just starting or has been growing for a while, CD9 is always there. That’s important because it means doctors might be able to find and target these cells more easily.
But CD9 isn’t just a helpful marker. It also seems to help the cancer grow and spread. To learn more, the researchers studied mice with pancreatic cancer. They changed the amount of CD9 in the tumor cells.
When the levels of CD9 were lowered, the tumors became smaller and grew more slowly. But when they increased CD9, the cancer became more aggressive and tumors grew larger.
The team also looked at data from real patients with pancreatic cancer. They found that people who had higher levels of CD9 in their tumors often had worse outcomes. About 10% of patients with this cancer have high CD9 levels, and their cancer tends to be harder to treat.
Next, the scientists wanted to understand how CD9 helps cancer grow. They discovered that CD9 makes it easier for cancer cells to absorb a nutrient called glutamine. Glutamine is like fuel for cancer—it gives the cells energy and helps them grow quickly. CD9 helps the cells take in more glutamine, speeding up tumor growth.
This discovery is important because it gives scientists a new target for treatment. If we can create drugs that block or reduce CD9, we might be able to slow down or stop the cancer from growing. Another idea is to develop treatments that stop cancer cells from getting the glutamine they need, which could starve the tumors.
While more research is still needed, this study gives us a better understanding of how pancreatic cancer works. It also points scientists toward new treatment options that could one day improve survival rates.
In the fight against pancreatic cancer, every step forward matters. The discovery of CD9’s role in cancer growth is a promising lead that could help researchers create better therapies and bring hope to patients facing this tough disease.
If you care about cancer, please read studies about Research shows a major cause of pancreatic cancer and findings of Dangerous chemical exposure linked to cancers in women.
For more about cancer, please read studies about Diabetes drug metformin is a promising ally in prostate cancer battle and findings of Colorectal cancer: The best screening test is the one you take.
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