Scientists at the Free University of Brussels (VUB) have made a major step forward in pancreatic cancer research. By mapping a healthy pancreas in detail down to the cellular level, they discovered that specific, rare cells in the healthy organ already bear striking similarities to the most aggressive cancer cells. The seminal discovery, published in the leading journal Gut, opens new doors for early detection and targeted treatment of the deadly disease.
Pancreatic cancer is known to be one of the most aggressive and difficult to treat. This is partly because the biological underpinnings of different tumor types have been largely unclear. Traditionally, the ductal tissue in the pancreas—where most tumors originate—was thought of as a simple structure with only one basic type of cell. The team at the Translational Oncology Research Center at the VUB, led by Professor Dr. Ilse Rooman, has now changed this picture for good.
PhD researcher Jan-Lars Van den Bossche, together with his colleagues, precisely mapped the healthy human pancreas. Using new, advanced technologies, researchers discovered that large drainage pipes can have a multi-layered structure. In them, they found a rare group of cells that possess specific properties previously attributed exclusively to aggressive cancer cells.
Understanding cancer begins with knowing the healthy organ. Now that we know that these cells are already naturally present, we can begin to investigate whether they play a role in tumor growth. This can provide opportunities for early detection.”
Dr. Ilse Rooman, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
When the scientists compared their new data with tissues from pancreatic cancer patients, significant differences were revealed. In the most common variant (PDAC), the original cell organization was found to be completely eliminated. This is in contrast to the rarer but highly aggressive adenocarcinoma (ASCP). In contrast, in ASCP tumors, the specific cell types and their precise spatial structure from the healthy pancreas were found to be almost perfectly preserved.
The results have important implications for future research and treatment. Because patients with the rarer ASCP variant are currently treated exactly like patients with the classic variant, the researchers advocate a separate approach. The exposed cellular structures offer a new perspective to start targeting them more specifically.
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