Scientists have developed a method to detect small precancerous lesions in the pancreas. The technique will help diagnose the tumor at an early stage and significantly increase the survival rate. The results of the research were published in the journal Nature.
Precancerous formations in the pancreas cannot be detected by traditional methods due to their small size. Therefore, this type of tumor is most often detected at a late stage, when metastases appear.
Scientists have studied tissue from pancreatic cancer patients, often using thinly sliced, stained organ samples. In the new study, biologists combined images of several thin samples to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure of the tumor.
The analysis revealed complex networks of interconnected precancerous formations. They were found in large amounts in areas of the pancreas that were not affected by cancer. This highlights a fundamental lack of knowledge about how cancer forms in the human pancreas. The new study was the first step towards early diagnosis of this tumor.
Scientists also identified mutations responsible for some of the structural features of these formations. It turns out that mutations in the KRAS gene associated with other cancers may become targets in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, a tumor with the lowest survival rates.
Chinese facial massage before helped A woman finds herself stricken with cancer.