New research brings hope for improved outcomes and survival in pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer (PC) has among the worst cancer prognoses globally, with just 13 per cent of patients diagnosed with PC surviving for five years or more after initial diagnosis. In Ireland, there are approximately 900 cases of PC per year, and 820 PC-related deaths. Survival rates remain poor due to the vague nature of the symptoms associated with early-stage PC, and subsequently the late-stage of the disease at diagnosis.
Now researchers from the Maher lab group, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, are focusing on pancreatic cystic lesions to tackle the crucial issue of identifying patients at high-risk of developing PC, to improve survival rates.
This research has identified a number of factors within the blood and fluid in pancreatic cystic lesions, which can be found at different levels in patients who are at a low- or high-risk of PC development.
This data has been used to create a unique biomarker panel, with high accuracy in its ability to distinguish between low-risk and high-risk patients.
While these data remain to be validated in a larger, independent cohort, the Maher lab group biomarker panel could have a profound impact on identifying patients at risk of developing PC at an earlier stage.
The group’s work generated four large datasets that are now publicly available for download and use. Together, these datasets can be combined into a larger and unique dataset that has been unavailable online until now and can be used for a myriad of research purposes, such as the development of new treatments for PC patients, or the identification of key biological pathways involved in pancreatic cystic lesion development or progression to PC.
The research has been spearheaded by Dr Laura Kane, Research Ireland Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Prof Barbara Ryan, Consultant Gastroenterologist, and Prof Stephen Maher, Professor in Translational Oncology.
The study paper, ‘Multi-omic biomarker panel in pancreatic cyst fluid and serum predicts patients at a high-risk of pancreatic cancer development’, was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports published by Nature Portfolio, and is available at the following link: www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-83742-4
New RCSI research identifies key role of T-cells in blood clot risk for IBD
Researchers from the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences have uncovered a novel mechanism linking inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism.
The study, published in Nature Communications, identifies a specific subset of immune cells that may contribute to excessive blood clotting in IBD patients, revealing potential therapeutic targets for reducing this risk.
IBD, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is associated with systemic inflammation. Patients with IBD face a significantly higher risk of developing blood clotting complications, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, but the underlying causes have remained unclear.
The research team, led by Prof Roger Preston, Associate Professor, RCSI School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, discovered that activated immune cells, ie CD4+ T-cells, which are critical in IBD-associated inflammation, express tissue factor, a key initiator of blood clotting. These tissue factor-expressing cells were found in both the intestine and bloodstream of IBD patients, suggesting they may contribute to an increased risk of clot formation.
“Understanding the mechanisms behind the heightened clotting risk in IBD patients is crucial for developing safer, more targeted treatments,” said Prof Preston. “Our findings show that this subset of T-cells not only drive gut inflammation, but also have the potential to contribute to blood clotting, which may help us understand why IBD patients face a greater risk of serious clotting disorders.”
The study also pointed to a possible solution. The team found that activated protein C (APC), an anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant protein in the blood, can help counteract the clotting activity of these T-cells. When attached to the T-cells, APC reduces their ability to trigger clot formation, offering a potential new treatment approach.
“These findings are particularly exciting because they suggest that targeting this pathway in T-cells could help manage clotting risk in IBD patients,” added Prof Preston.
With IBD incidence rising globally, this research has important implications for improving patient outcomes. Current anticoagulant therapies carry bleeding risks, making targeted anti-inflammatory approaches such as an APC-based strategy particularly promising.
The study was supported by funding from Research Ireland, Children’s Health Ireland and the Health Research Board.
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