Researchers have discovered that an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer 'hijacks' the immune system's response and therefore is more likely to respond to treatment with immunotherapy, raising hopes for new targets in the fight against the disease.
Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, working with colleagues at the University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Italy, used artificial intelligence (AI) and genetic analysis to study 207 tumour samples from patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours for the levels of 600 immune-related genes.
Comparing four separate forms of the disease, they found that samples of the most aggressive form, known as metastases-like primary tumours, saw changes in activity of 74 immune-related genes, compared with changes in only 12 in the more benign insulinoma-like tumours.
http://www.pharmatimes.com/news/immunotherapies_could_target_aggressive_pancreatic_cancer,_research_indicates_1347800