The rapid progression and poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer: a therapeutic lead.

Pancreatic cancer is a disease with a poor prognosis that progresses very rapidly after detection to metastatic spread. At detection, the primary tumour may be associated with a so-called micro-metastatic disease which, because it is microscopic, goes unnoticed with our current imaging techniques. Our CRCT team, in collaboration with a CRCT team and several international teams, has been able to demonstrate that the activation of a signalling pathway is necessary for the transition from the micro-metastatic state to their development into macro-metastases, which are visible metastases. This is the PI3K pathway, which is altered in more than half of all solid cancers. Our results also demonstrate the efficacy of PI3K inhibitors on this progression.

Macro métastase de cancer du pancréas dans le poumon (J. Guillermet-Guibert) / Macro metastasis of pancreatic cancer in the lung (J. Guillermet-Guibert)

Macro métastase de cancer du pancréas dans le foie (J. Guillermet-Guibert) / Macro metastasis of pancreatic cancer in the liver (J. Guillermet-Guibert)

L’évolution de micro-métastase du foie ou du poumon (en haut) vers des macro-métastases (bas) est très rapide chez les patients diagnostiqués de cancer du pancréas. (J. Guillermet-Guibert) / The progression from liver or lung micro-metastasis (top) to macro-metastasis (bottom) is very rapid in patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. (J. Guillermet-Guibert)

Collaborations and acknowledgements