Pancreatic cancer is one of the most serious and difficult cancers to treat. A common form of this disease is called pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, often shortened to PDAC.
This type of cancer grows very quickly and can spread to other parts of the body before it is even noticed. Because of this, many people are diagnosed at a late stage, when treatment options are limited.
Today, only about 8% of patients live longer than five years after diagnosis, which makes it one of the deadliest cancers in the world.
Even though the outlook has been poor for many years, scientists continue to search for better ways to understand and treat this disease.
Recently, a team of researchers from the Francis Crick Institute in the United Kingdom made an important discovery that could open a new path for treatment. The study was led by Dr. Axel Behrens and was published in the scientific journal Nature.
The researchers focused on a special group of cells found inside tumors called cancer stem cells. These cells are different from most cancer cells. In a healthy body, stem cells help repair and renew tissues.
However, in cancer, stem-like cells can act in harmful ways. They can start new tumors, survive treatment, and grow into many different types of cancer cells. Because of this, they are often linked to cancer coming back after treatment.
To better understand these cells, the scientists looked closely at the genes that are active inside them. They discovered a protein called CD9. This protein sits on the surface of cancer stem cells and can be found in tumors at both early and late stages. This is important because it means CD9 could help doctors find and track these dangerous cells more easily.
But CD9 is not just a marker that shows where cancer stem cells are. The research showed that it also plays a direct role in helping these cells grow and spread. To test this idea, the scientists carried out experiments using mice with pancreatic cancer. They changed the amount of CD9 in the cancer cells and observed what happened.
When the levels of CD9 were reduced, the tumors became smaller and grew more slowly. In contrast, when the amount of CD9 was increased, the cancer became more aggressive and tumors grew faster. This showed that CD9 is not only linked to cancer growth but may actually drive it.
The team also studied data from real patients with pancreatic cancer. They found that people whose tumors had high levels of CD9 often had worse outcomes.
Around 10% of patients showed high CD9 levels, and these cases were usually harder to treat. This suggests that CD9 could be used to identify patients who may need more targeted or intensive treatment.
To understand how CD9 helps cancer grow, the scientists looked at how cancer cells use nutrients. All cells need nutrients to survive and grow, and cancer cells often find ways to take in more fuel than normal cells. The researchers discovered that CD9 helps cancer stem cells absorb more of a nutrient called glutamine.
Glutamine is an important source of energy for many cells. In cancer, it acts like fuel that powers growth and division. By helping cancer cells take in more glutamine, CD9 allows tumors to grow faster and become stronger. In simple terms, CD9 acts like a switch that increases the fuel supply to cancer cells.
This discovery is important because it gives scientists a new target for treatment. If researchers can find a way to block CD9, they may be able to slow down tumor growth. Another possible approach is to stop cancer cells from using glutamine, which could weaken them or even cause them to die.
Although this research is still at an early stage, it offers new hope. Understanding how cancer grows at this deeper level helps scientists design better treatments. In the future, therapies that target CD9 or glutamine use could improve survival rates for people with pancreatic cancer.
Every discovery brings us one step closer to better care. This new finding gives scientists a clearer picture of how one of the deadliest cancers survives and grows, and it may help change the way we fight it in the years ahead.
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.
Copyright © 2026 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
