Extracellular vesicles in pancreatic cancer: a new era in precision medicine

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a lethal disease that presents a considerable challenge to healthcare providers and patients, given its low survival rate. However, recent advancements in precision medicine and innovative technologies have transformed the management of this disease. Among these advancements, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as crucial players in cancer progression. In PC, EVs play a pivotal role by facilitating cell-cell communication, impeding immune response, promoting cancer cell proliferation and survival, and supporting angiogenesis and chemoresistance. Cancer-derived EVs have a distinct oncogenic composition supporting tumour development and progression. Hence, they are critical biomarker candidates for various cancers, including PC. Notably, EVs can be isolated from diverse biological fluids such as blood, urine, and saliva, making them an ideal minimally invasive diagnostic and monitoring tool for PC patients. Despite the promising findings in the field of EVs, clinical validation as biomarkers is lacking. Furthermore, EVs being biocompatible, can act as drug carriers, delivering therapeutic molecules directly to cancer cells while minimizing toxicity to healthy cells. Therefore, understanding the role of EVs as biomarkers and their potential as drug cargo vehicles may revolutionise early detection, prognostication, and treatment in cancer. This mini-review summarises the latest understanding of their role in intercellular communication, involvement as potential biomarkers and drug carriers.