Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most difficult cancers to survive, with only a 6-14% five-year survival rate. Detection is hindered by late diagnosis, as most tumors are found too late for effective treatment. Ongoing research led by oncologist Stephen Maher focuses on utilizing biomarkers from blood samples to identify potential precancerous cysts, which may lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment. While current methods of assessing cyst risk are invasive, advancements in biomarker identification hold promise for improving survival rates for patients worldwide.
"It's a very poor prognosis, the vast majority of patients will die, more than 75% of them will die within a year," Stephen Maher, an oncologist at Trinity College Dublin, told DW.
This month, Maher and his collaborators published a study in the journal Scientific Reports where they analyzed patients' blood samples for signs of cancerous biomarkers that have entered the blood from potential precancerous cysts.
Many believe biomarkers - biological materials in the body that signify a particular disease - could be the answer to improving early detection.
The process for determining this risk involves very invasive procedures, Maher said. This includes imaging, but also endoscopy using a needle to puncture and remove sample fluid from the cyst.
Collection
[
|
...
]