Cell Biology and Molecular Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer

Dear Colleagues,

Pancreatic cancer, mainly affecting men and older adults (60–85 years old), is now increasingly observed in young patients. It is one of the deadliest cancers because it is characterized by no symptoms at early stages and a quick invasion of surrounding tissues and organs, making currently available treatments limited in their efficacy. Smoking, alcohol, genetic predisposition, diabetes, obesity, and chronic pancreatitis are known to be the major high-risk factors driving pancreatic cancer development. Recently, cancer stem cells have been identified as tumor-initiating cells in the genesis and progression of pancreatic cancer, but their use in clinical practice is still in its early stages. However, despite the efforts, there is no specific marker to diagnose pancreatic cancer. At present, we urgently need to identify high-risk patients with precancerous diseases with non-invasive methods to improve the early detection and survival rates of pancreatic cancer. To achieve this, the capability of malignant tumors and their metastases to release cells and parts of the cells that can be found in blood and other biological fluids (e.g., cystic fluid, saliva) can be useful for diagnostic and treatment purposes. The sampling and analysis of these released materials (e.g., circulating tumor cells, circulating cell-free nucleic acids, and circulating extracellular vesicles), also called liquid biopsy, can help clinical practitioners understand the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor occurrence and development, enabling the formulation of more precise and personalized treatment decisions for each patient. The purpose of this Special Issue is to publish original research papers and/or relevant updates of literature data on current knowledge concerning new strategies and methodological approaches to guide early identification and therapeutic development with the overall goal of improving outcomes for this disease.

Dr. Ada Aita
Guest Editor

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• pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
• pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
• pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia
• intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms
• pancreatic cancer stem cells
• pancreatic microenvironment
• liquid biopsy
• cystic fluid
• saliva
• genomics/proteomics/lipidomics
• transcription and translation
• cytokines
• inflammation
• metastasis