The treatment options for patients with pancreatic cancer—one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide—are currently quite limited. In addition, the illness is often not detected until the late stages of the disease and prognosis is generally poor (6% 5-year survival). As such, there has been a great deal of work to improve the care of patients with pancreatic cancer. This Focus Issue contains five specially commissioned Review articles on hot topics within the field of pancreatic cancer that provide a critical analysis of the available literature. New biomarkers and targets in pancreatic cancer are discussed, as is the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of the role of stroma. Current knowledge of familial pancreatic cancer and the technique of robotic pancreatic surgery are also reviewed. Finally, the potential of next-generation sequencing is considered.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
Pancreatic cancer: The role of GM-CSF in pancreatic cancer unveiled
Claire Greenhill
doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2012.127
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology 9, 426 (2012)
Pancreatic cancer: A novel method of imaging pancreatic cancer cells and precursors in mice could lead to early diagnosis
Andy McLarnon
doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2012.124
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology 9, 427 (2012)
Pancreatic cancer: Dilated orifice of the duodenal papilla predicts intestinal type IPMN
Claire Greenhill
doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2012.122
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology 9, 428 (2012)
IN BRIEFS
Pancreatic cancer: Are pancreatic cysts a risk factor for pancreatic cancer?
doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2012.130
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology 9, 426 (2012)
Pancreatic cancer: Distinguishing pancreatic adenocarcinoma from other pancreatic mass lesions
doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2012.131
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology 9, 426 (2012)
REVIEWS
New biomarkers and targets in pancreatic cancer and their application to treatment
Eithne Costello, William Greenhalf & John P. Neoptolemos
doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2012.119
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology 9, 435-444 (2012)
Survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer is particularly poor, and improvements in diagnosis and treatment are urgently needed. Identification of new biomarkers and targets in pancreatic cancer could enable prediction of treatment response. In this Review, Costello and colleagues describe predictive pancreatic cancer biomarkers as well as novel treatment approaches and future treatment targets.
Familial pancreatic cancer—current knowledge
Detlef K. Bartsch, Thomas M. Gress & Peter Langer
doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2012.111
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology 9, 445-453 (2012)
Familial pancreatic cancer (FPC) is a rare, hereditary tumour syndrome. High morbidity and mortality is associated with development of pancreatic cancer in these high-risk individuals and, as outlined in this Review, screening of FPC families seems appropriate. Here, Bartsch and colleagues describe the current knowledge of FPC, including phenotype, underlying genetic causes and clinical management (including genetic counselling and screening).
The role of stroma in pancreatic cancer: diagnostic and therapeutic implications
Mert Erkan, Simone Hausmann, Christoph W. Michalski, Alexander A. Fingerle, Martin Dobritz, Jörg Kleeff & Helmut Friess
doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2012.115
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology 9, 454-467 (2012)
Abundant fibrotic stroma is a typical feature of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in humans. It is becoming clear that this stromal tissue is not just a bystander in PDAC, but has a crucial role in tumorigenesis, angiogenesis and resistance to therapy. Targeting the stroma for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes opens a new avenue of research in the management of PDAC.
The current state of robotic-assisted pancreatic surgery
Josh Winer, Mehmet F. Can, David L. Bartlett, Herbert J. Zeh & Amer H. Zureikat
doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2012.120
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology 9, 468-476 (2012)
Pancreatic surgery is challenging for both surgeon and patient. With the advent of minimally invasive surgical techniques, patient morbidity could be reduced. In this article, Josh Winer and colleagues review the techniques and outcomes of robotic-assisted pancreatic resections, focusing on robotic-assisted pancreaticoduodenectomy, robotic-assisted distal pancreatectomy and robotic-assisted central pancreatectomy.
Applying next-generation sequencing to pancreatic cancer treatment
Elaine R. Mardis
doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2012.126
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology 9, 477-486 (2012)
Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal malignancy that presents multiple technical challenges for genomic studies. Next-generation sequencing and its applications have proven successful in other tumour types, and could be useful for studying pancreatic cancer. This Review outlines pancreatic cancer genomics to date, the genomic discovery applications enabled by next-generation sequencing technology and analysis, and a synthesis of the two areas that might be suggestive of a path forward.
© 2018 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature. All Rights Reserved.
