Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, mostly because it is often diagnosed too late.
Now, a new study from the National Cancer Research Center (CNIO) in Spain offers hope.
Scientists have found certain genes that might help doctors predict who is more likely to develop pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, which is the most common type of pancreatic cancer. They also discovered genes that might affect how the disease progresses once it begins.
The study was recently published in the scientific journal Nature Communications and led by Núria Malats and Evangelina López de Maturana from CNIO’s Epidemiology and Molecular Genetics Group. Their work focuses on identifying people who are at higher risk of this aggressive disease, with the goal of improving early detection and outcomes.
Pancreatic cancer is known for its high death rate, mainly because it is usually found when the disease is already very advanced. One way to save more lives is to diagnose the disease earlier. But to do that, doctors first need to know who is most at risk.
The CNIO team focused on a part of the body’s natural defense system known as the complement system. This system is made up of proteins that help the immune system fight infections and other threats.
If the complement system doesn’t work properly—either because of missing proteins or too much activity—it can lead to health problems. Until now, very few studies have looked at how this system might be connected to cancer.
The researchers found that when two specific genes in the complement system—called FCN1 and PLAT—have mutations, the risk of developing pancreatic cancer may go up. These genes could serve as future warning signs, or biomarkers, to help identify people at higher risk. If doctors can find these markers early, they can monitor those patients more closely.
This is a big step forward because it brings us closer to creating screening programs for pancreatic cancer. Right now, there are no standard screening tests for this type of cancer. But if we can find people who are more likely to develop it, we can begin regular checks before the disease has a chance to grow and spread.
The study also found something else important. Other genes in the complement system appear to affect how the immune system responds to pancreatic cancer. Some genes help “defender” immune cells get into the tumor, which improves the patient’s chances of survival. Other genes allow “regulator” cells in, which may actually help the cancer grow.
This is especially interesting because pancreatic cancer is considered a “cold” cancer. That means it can hide from the immune system, making it very hard to treat with current immunotherapy drugs.
But now, scientists think that by understanding how these complement system genes work, they might be able to develop new kinds of immunotherapy that target these genes and help the body recognize and fight the cancer.
The research is still in the early stages, but it offers new hope. It not only improves our understanding of who is at risk for pancreatic cancer but also opens the door for better treatments in the future. As Dr. Malats explained, these discoveries could lead to new therapies that help the immune system finally “see” and attack pancreatic cancer cells.
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