Molecular Markers of Pancreatic Cancer: A 10-Year Retrospective Review of Molecular Advances

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer remains the third leading cause of death amongst men and women in the United States. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common type of pancreatic cancer maintains its reputation of being the most aggressive with a poor prognosis. One of the contributing factors to the high mortality of PDAC is the absence of biomarkers for early detection of disease and the complexity of tumor biology and genomics. In this review, we explored the current understanding of epigenetics and diagnostic biomarkers in PDAC and summarized recent advances in molecular biology. We discussed current guidelines on diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment, especially in high-risk individuals. We also reviewed studies that have touched on identifying biomarkers and the role they play in making early diagnosis although there are currently no screening tools for PDAC. We explored the recent understanding of epigenetic alterations of PDAC and the future implications for early detection and prognosis. In conclusion, the new and emerging advances in the detection and treatment of PDAC can lead to an improvement in the current outcome of PDAC.