Molecular Research on the Pancreatic Cancer

Dear Colleagues,

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common type of pancreatic cancer, is a highly lethal human malignancy, with a conspicuously subdued 5-year overall survival rate. Many PDAC patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, thereby frequently developing metastasis. A compendium of prospective PDAC biomarkers has been elucidated; however, their definitive validation remains pending. Multiple alterations at the molecular and cellular level, including nucleotide metabolism enzymes, apoptosis pathway, drug efflux pumps, cancer stem cells or epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway, have the capacity to influence the chemoresistant nature of PDAC. Furthermore, PDAC exhibits an extensive desmoplastic reaction, characterized by abundant extracellular matrix components, inflammatory cells, and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). It is suggested that the interplay between pancreatic cancer cells and tumor-associated cells, such as CAFs or tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), governs the metastatic proclivity and chemoresistant propensities of PDAC. Additionally, exosomal miRNA has garnered attention as a potential biomolecular marker and pathological modulator in PDAC.

So, this special issue focuses on the diagnosis, pathology, and treatment of PDAC, and will includes papers on (1) evaluation of potential biomarker, (2) mechanisms of metastasis, (3) chemoresistance of PDAC.

Dr. Tetsufumi Takahashi
Dr. Akira Sato
Guest Editors

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• PDAC
• biomarker
• metastasis
• chemoresistance