title: Molecular diagnosis of pancreatic cancer: where do we stand?
abstract: Pancreatic cancer remains a disease with a dismal prognosis due mostly to its late diagnosis. An early diagnosis would have a significant impact on the prognosis and, eventually, on the incidence of the disease itself. Many progresses have been made in the molecular diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. High risk patients would likely benefits from biologic screening, before the general population. Most of the markers remain limited to phase I and II studies. The challenges include the lack of specificity of some of the markers, as well as the lack of standardization within the laboratories. Further research is necessary prior to the application of the currently known biomarkers for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA. elomenzo@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lo Menzo
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Vita
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berretta
authors.forename: Pierfrancesco
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Veroux
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zanghi
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavallaro
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cacopardo
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cappellani
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor