부산대학교 도서관

Pancreatic cancer is predicted to become the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States by 2030. Less than 9% of patients with pancreatic cancer achieve long-term survival. The majority of pancreatic cancer patients develop recurrence, even after surgical resection. At the molecular level, malignant transformation involves several oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes regulating a variety of signalling pathways. Aberrant activation of epigenetic pathways also contributes to the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer. This chapter provides an overview on genetics, signalling pathways, and epigenetics such as promoter methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodelling in pancreatic cancer. Further, the chapter summarizes the data on cancer stem cells, as well as on the tumour microenvironment. Continuous research effort and progress in the understanding of the molecular basis of pancreatic cancer are essential for further improving the outcomes of patients.