Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is often detected at a late stage and usually leads to significant morbidity and deaths1. The 5-year survival rate for those with pancreatic cancer detected at a resectable stage is 25%, compared with a 5-year survival rate of 3% for those with pancreatic cancer that is not resectable2–4. Some 20% of patients have resectable disease at the time of diagnosis, underscoring the necessity to develop novel early detection tools2.
The timeline for the development of pancreatic cancer is controversial. The evolution of pancreatic cancer is probably a slow process, involving sequential, independent accumulation of mutations in both oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes, with progression from precancerous stages to increasingly invasive and metastatic stages over many years5. An alternative evolution might be driven by punctuated equilibrium, a process that encompasses intervals of stability and rapid transformation with molecular changes6. Epidemiological data suggest that, once clinically apparent, pancreatic cancer may progress from category T1 to T4 in 1 year7. Methods must be developed to detect the disease before the onset of clinical symptoms.
Liquid biopsy approaches have garnered substantial interest for pancreatic cancer screening, either as single-cancer tests or as part of multi-cancer early detection tests. A wide range of blood-based biomarkers have been investigated, including proteins, metabolites, microRNAs (miRs), circulating tumour DNA, circulating tumour cells, and exosomes8. Previous studies have focused on biomarkers at the time of clinical diagnosis. It remains unknown whether such biomarkers could be used for longitudinal screening in asymptomatic individuals.
The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the use of blood-based biomarkers for the detection of pancreatic cancer in prediagnostic settings, with a particular focus on diagnostic accuracy at different time points up to 5 years before clinical diagnosis
The timeline for the development of pancreatic cancer is controversial. The evolution of pancreatic cancer is probably a slow process, involving sequential, independent accumulation of mutations in both oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes, with progression from precancerous stages to increasingly invasive and metastatic stages over many years5. An alternative evolution might be driven by punctuated equilibrium, a process that encompasses intervals of stability and rapid transformation with molecular changes6. Epidemiological data suggest that, once clinically apparent, pancreatic cancer may progress from category T1 to T4 in 1 year7. Methods must be developed to detect the disease before the onset of clinical symptoms.
Liquid biopsy approaches have garnered substantial interest for pancreatic cancer screening, either as single-cancer tests or as part of multi-cancer early detection tests. A wide range of blood-based biomarkers have been investigated, including proteins, metabolites, microRNAs (miRs), circulating tumour DNA, circulating tumour cells, and exosomes8. Previous studies have focused on biomarkers at the time of clinical diagnosis. It remains unknown whether such biomarkers could be used for longitudinal screening in asymptomatic individuals.
The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the use of blood-based biomarkers for the detection of pancreatic cancer in prediagnostic settings, with a particular focus on diagnostic accuracy at different time points up to 5 years before clinical diagnosis
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | zrae046 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-6 |
| Journal | BJS Open |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2024 Jun 1 |
Subject classification (UKÄ)
- Surgery
