Improving the Prognosis of Pancreatic Cancer: Insights from Epidemiology, Genomic Alterations, and Therapeutic Challenges

Overview

Journal Front Med

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2023 Dec 27

PMID 38151666

Authors

Zhichen Jiang

Xiaohao Zheng

Min Li

Mingyang Liu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer, notorious for its late diagnosis and aggressive progression, poses a substantial challenge owing to scarce treatment alternatives. This review endeavors to furnish a holistic insight into pancreatic cancer, encompassing its epidemiology, genomic characterization, risk factors, diagnosis, therapeutic strategies, and treatment resistance mechanisms. We delve into identifying risk factors, including genetic predisposition and environmental exposures, and explore recent research advancements in precursor lesions and molecular subtypes of pancreatic cancer. Additionally, we highlight the development and application of multi-omics approaches in pancreatic cancer research and discuss the latest combinations of pancreatic cancer biomarkers and their efficacy. We also dissect the primary mechanisms underlying treatment resistance in this malignancy, illustrating the latest therapeutic options and advancements in the field. Conclusively, we accentuate the urgent demand for more extensive research to enhance the prognosis for pancreatic cancer patients.

Citing Articles

Artificial Intelligence in Pancreatic Imaging: A Systematic Review.

Podina N, Gheorghe E, Constantin A, Cazacu I, Croitoru V, Gheorghe C United European Gastroenterol J. 2025; 13(1):55-77.

PMID: 39865461 PMC: 11866320. DOI: 10.1002/ueg2.12723.

The Past, Present, and Future of Biomarkers for the Early Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer.

Vitale F, Zileri Dal Verme L, Paratore M, Negri M, Nista E, Ainora M Biomedicines. 2025; 12(12.

PMID: 39767746 PMC: 11673965. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12122840.

Personalized three-year survival prediction and prognosis forecast by interpretable machine learning for pancreatic cancer patients: a population-based study and an external validation.

Teng B, Zhang X, Ge M, Miao M, Li W, Ma J Front Oncol. 2024; 14:1488118.

PMID: 39497722 PMC: 11532159. DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1488118.

Updated aspects of alpha-Solanine as a potential anticancer agent: Mechanistic insights and future directions.

Nandi S, Sikder R, Nag A, Khatua S, Sen S, Chakraborty N Food Sci Nutr. 2024; 12(10):7088-7107.

PMID: 39479710 PMC: 11521658. DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.4221.

Prediabetes increases the risk of pancreatic cancer: A meta-analysis of longitudinal observational studies.

Huang X, Li H, Zhao L, Xu L, Long H PLoS One. 2024; 19(10):e0311911.

PMID: 39405289 PMC: 11478827. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0311911.

References

Rahib L, Wehner M, Matrisian L, Nead K . Estimated Projection of US Cancer Incidence and Death to 2040. JAMA Netw Open. 2021; 4(4):e214708. PMC: 8027914. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.4708. View

Siegel R, Miller K, Fuchs H, Jemal A . Cancer Statistics, 2021. CA Cancer J Clin. 2021; 71(1):7-33. DOI: 10.3322/caac.21654. View

Mizrahi J, Surana R, Valle J, Shroff R . Pancreatic cancer. Lancet. 2020; 395(10242):2008-2020. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30974-0. View

Park W, Chawla A, OReilly E . Pancreatic Cancer: A Review. JAMA. 2021; 326(9):851-862. PMC: 9363152. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2021.13027. View

Huang J, Lok V, Ngai C, Zhang L, Yuan J, Lao X . Worldwide Burden of, Risk Factors for, and Trends in Pancreatic Cancer. Gastroenterology. 2020; 160(3):744-754. DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.10.007. View

Maisonneuve P, Lowenfels A . Risk factors for pancreatic cancer: a summary review of meta-analytical studies. Int J Epidemiol. 2014; 44(1):186-98. DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyu240. View

Lynch S, Vrieling A, Lubin J, Kraft P, Mendelsohn J, Hartge P . Cigarette smoking and pancreatic cancer: a pooled analysis from the pancreatic cancer cohort consortium. Am J Epidemiol. 2009; 170(4):403-13. PMC: 2733861. DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwp134. View

Pang Y, Kartsonaki C, Guo Y, Bragg F, Yang L, Bian Z . Diabetes, plasma glucose and incidence of pancreatic cancer: A prospective study of 0.5 million Chinese adults and a meta-analysis of 22 cohort studies. Int J Cancer. 2017; 140(8):1781-1788. PMC: 5396360. DOI: 10.1002/ijc.30599. View

Canto M, Almario J, Schulick R, Yeo C, Klein A, Blackford A . Risk of Neoplastic Progression in Individuals at High Risk for Pancreatic Cancer Undergoing Long-term Surveillance. Gastroenterology. 2018; 155(3):740-751.e2. PMC: 6120797. DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2018.05.035. View

10.

Corral J, Mareth K, Riegert-Johnson D, Das A, Wallace M . Diagnostic Yield From Screening Asymptomatic Individuals at High Risk for Pancreatic Cancer: A Meta-analysis of Cohort Studies. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018; 17(1):41-53. DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2018.04.065. View

11.

Yuan C, Babic A, Khalaf N, Nowak J, Brais L, Rubinson D . Diabetes, Weight Change, and Pancreatic Cancer Risk. JAMA Oncol. 2020; 6(10):e202948. PMC: 7426876. DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2020.2948. View

12.

Chari S, Leibson C, Rabe K, Ransom J, de Andrade M, Petersen G . Probability of pancreatic cancer following diabetes: a population-based study. Gastroenterology. 2005; 129(2):504-11. PMC: 2377196. DOI: 10.1016/j.gastro.2005.05.007. View

13.

Gupta S, Vittinghoff E, Bertenthal D, Corley D, Shen H, Walter L . New-onset diabetes and pancreatic cancer. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2006; 4(11):1366-72. DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2006.06.024. View

14.

Munigala S, Singh A, Gelrud A, Agarwal B . Predictors for Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis Following New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus. Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2015; 6:e118. PMC: 4816040. DOI: 10.1038/ctg.2015.44. View

15.

Duell E, Lucenteforte E, Olson S, Bracci P, Li D, Risch H . Pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer risk: a pooled analysis in the International Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control Consortium (PanC4). Ann Oncol. 2012; 23(11):2964-2970. PMC: 3477881. DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mds140. View

16.

Cai J, Chen H, Lu M, Zhang Y, Lu B, You L . Advances in the epidemiology of pancreatic cancer: Trends, risk factors, screening, and prognosis. Cancer Lett. 2021; 520:1-11. DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.06.027. View

17.

Bosetti C, Lucenteforte E, Silverman D, Petersen G, Bracci P, Ji B . Cigarette smoking and pancreatic cancer: an analysis from the International Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control Consortium (Panc4). Ann Oncol. 2011; 23(7):1880-8. PMC: 3387822. DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdr541. View

18.

Iodice S, Gandini S, Maisonneuve P, Lowenfels A . Tobacco and the risk of pancreatic cancer: a review and meta-analysis. Langenbecks Arch Surg. 2008; 393(4):535-45. DOI: 10.1007/s00423-007-0266-2. View

19.

Sung H, Siegel R, Rosenberg P, Jemal A . Emerging cancer trends among young adults in the USA: analysis of a population-based cancer registry. Lancet Public Health. 2019; 4(3):e137-e147. DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(18)30267-6. View

20.

Elena J, Steplowski E, Yu K, Hartge P, Tobias G, Brotzman M . Diabetes and risk of pancreatic cancer: a pooled analysis from the pancreatic cancer cohort consortium. Cancer Causes Control. 2012; 24(1):13-25. PMC: 3529822. DOI: 10.1007/s10552-012-0078-8. View