Unlocking the Role of Age-Related Changes to Fibroblasts in Pancreatic Cancer

Achinoam Isaacson, Debra Barki, Ruth Scherz-Shouval

Research output: Contribution to journalComment/debatepeer-review

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer prevalence increases with age, and disease prognosis is poorer in older individuals. The increased prevalence is driven, undoubtedly, by the multistep accumulation of oncogenic mutations in cancer cells with age. However, fibroblasts are major constituents and key players in pancreatic cancer, and they too undergo age-related changes that may contribute to disease severity. In this issue of Cancer Research, Zabransky and colleagues set out to dissect the effect of age-related changes in pancreatic fibroblasts on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma growth and metastasis. They discovered that aged fibroblasts secrete GDF-15, which in turn activates AKT signaling and accelerates tumor progression. These findings provide a mechanistic role for aged fibroblasts in pancreatic cancer, underpinning the importance of normal physiologic processes in tumor progression.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1185-1187
Number of pages3
JournalCancer Research
Volume84
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Apr 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Unlocking the Role of Age-Related Changes to Fibroblasts in Pancreatic Cancer'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this