Microarray Technology Identifies Pancreatic Cancer Genes

Researchers using sophisticated microarray technology have identified 158 genes specifically associated with pancreatic cancer that do not function in the normal pancreas or in patients suffering from pancreatitis.

"Pancreatic cancer is one of the swiftest and surest cancer killers, and not nearly enough has been learned about what, at the molecular level, makes it so deadly,” explained first author Dr. Craig Logsdon, professor of physiology at the University of Michigan Medical School (Ann Arbor, USA; www.umich.edu). "Others have made lists of genes that might be involved, but ours provides a much more accurate accounting, and reveals dozens of novel genes.”

In their paper in the May 15, 2003, issue of Cancer Research, the investigators reported that molecular profiling indicated a large number of genes differentially expressed between pancreatic cancer and normal pancreas but many fewer differences between pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis, likely because of the shared stromal influences in the two diseases. These results were based on the screening of more than 6,800 genes taken from 10 patients with pancreatic cancer, seven pancreatic cancer cell lines, five patients with chronic pancreatitis, and five patients with a normal pancreas.

"We are focusing resources on pancreatic cancer, combining clinical and basic science in a way that we feel will help accelerate the progress on this disease,” said Dr. Logsdon. "This gene list is a very promising start, but there is still far to go.”




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