Twenty micro-organisms present in the stool would predict the risk of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common form of pancreatic cancer.
- The genetic signature has been validated in a second study and is currently being tested on a sample of Japanese patients.
- A patent has been filed to develop this diagnostic kit.
- The microbiota refers to a group of bacteria.
It is not the most common cancer, but it is one of the most serious: pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed late. Researchers from the National Cancer Research Center in Madrid and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory may have found a solution to speed up screening: according to their work, published in the scientific journal gutthe analysis of stool samples would make it possible to detect the disease early.
specific bacteria
This study was carried out using samples of saliva, stool and pancreatic tissue, provided by 136 patients. The researchers discovered a molecular signature, linked to 27 microorganisms present in stool samples, which could predict the risk of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In contrast, they did not find an association between oral microbiota and pancreatic cancer. “Sophisticated biostatistical and bioinformatic analyzes have allowed us to construct a signature of 27 stool-derived microbes, mostly bacteria, that very well distinguishes pancreatic cancer cases from controls, both in their most advanced stages and in the most advanced stages. earlier”, say the study authors. Thus, this method would make it possible to detect cases of pancreatic cancer even at early stages.
The need for early diagnosis
“Symptoms of pancreatic cancer are silent and often appear in the later stages of the disease, when tumors usually cannot be removed with surgery. remind the authors. Therefore, there is an urgent need for non-invasive and affordable tests that can detect disease early.” According to Insermthe rate five-year survival of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer is less than 7%, largely due to late diagnosis. Ultimately, this new screening tool will increase the chances of patient survival. “The disease must be diagnosed at a much earlier stage, before symptoms appear“, insist the authors. The most common are abdominal pain, weight loss, fatigue and loss of appetite.
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