Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the world. The reason it’s so dangerous is that it’s often found too late.
Many people don’t have symptoms until the cancer has already spread, which means fewer treatment options and a lower chance of survival.
But now, researchers may have found a way to catch this cancer earlier—with a simple and affordable blood test.
A group of scientists from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) have created a new test called PAC-MANN. It’s a fancy name, but the idea behind it is simple.
The test looks for certain changes in the blood that are linked to pancreatic cancer, especially a kind called pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, or PDAC. This is the most common and deadly type of pancreatic cancer.
Usually, doctors use a test called CA 19-9 to check for pancreatic cancer. While this test can help monitor how a patient is doing, it’s not good at catching cancer early. That’s where PAC-MANN stands out. It finds signs of the disease much earlier, giving doctors a better chance to help.
Dr. Jared Fischer, one of the lead researchers, said the main goal is to give doctors a tool to catch pancreatic cancer early—before it’s too late. He and his team tested PAC-MANN on blood samples from 350 people. Some of them had pancreatic cancer, others were at high risk, and some had no signs of the disease.
The test works by detecting proteins in the blood, called proteases. These proteins become more active when someone has PDAC.
By measuring this activity, the researchers could tell who had cancer and who didn’t. In fact, the test was right 98% of the time. Even better, when combined with the regular CA 19-9 test, PAC-MANN was able to catch early-stage cancer 85% of the time.
That’s not all. The test also helped track whether treatments were working. After patients had surgery to remove tumors, their protease levels went down. This means doctors could use PAC-MANN not just to detect cancer, but also to monitor how well treatment is working.
The best part? The test is quick, cheap, and easy. It only takes a tiny amount of blood and can be done in just 45 minutes. According to Dr. Jose Montoya, another lead researcher, the test costs less than one cent per sample. That makes it perfect for use in rural clinics or places that don’t have big medical labs.
The team hopes to begin more studies soon, especially in people who are at high risk of developing pancreatic cancer. If the test continues to show strong results, it could become a regular tool used by doctors around the world.
In reviewing the study findings, it’s clear that PAC-MANN is a major breakthrough. It solves several big problems—detecting pancreatic cancer early, being easy to use, and keeping costs low.
It’s also versatile, working both for diagnosis and to track how well treatments are doing. If future clinical trials confirm its success, this test could save many lives by giving people a chance to fight cancer before it spreads.
This study gives hope not just for better treatment, but for earlier action. And in the world of cancer care, catching it early can make all the difference.
If you care about cancer, please read studies about a new method to treat cancer effectively, and this low-dose, four-drug combo may block cancer spread.
For more information about cancer prevention, please see recent studies about nutrient in fish that can be a poison for cancer, and results showing this daily vitamin is critical to cancer prevention.
The study is published in Science Translational Medicine.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
