Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer: Current Advances and Future Opportunities

作者：Zijin Lin, Esther Adeniran, Yanna Cai, Touseef Ahmad Qureshi, Debiao Li, Jun Gong, Jianing Li, Stephen J. Pandol, Yi Jiang · 发表于：Biomedicines · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3390/biomedicines13071733 · 被引用次数：27 · 研究领域：Pancreatic and Hepatic Oncology Research、Colorectal Cancer Screening and Detection、Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains among the most lethal malignancies, with a five-year survival rate below 12%, largely attributable to its asymptomatic onset, late-stage diagnosis, and limited curative treatment options. Although PDAC accounts for approximately 3% of all cancers, it is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States by 2030. A major contributor to its dismal prognosis is the lack of validated early detection strategies for asymptomatic individuals. In this review, we present a comprehensive synthesis of current advances in the early detection of PDAC, with a focus on the identification of high-risk populations, novel biomarker platforms, advanced imaging modalities, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tools. We highlight high-risk groups-such as those with new-onset diabetes after age 50, pancreatic steatosis, chronic pancreatitis, cystic precursor lesions, and hereditary cancer syndromes-as priority populations for targeted surveillance. Novel biomarker panels, including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), miRNAs, and exosomes, have demonstrated improved diagnostic accuracy in early-stage disease. Recent developments in imaging, such as multiparametric MRI, contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound, and molecular imaging, offer improved sensitivity in detecting small or precursor lesions. AI-enhanced radiomics and machine learning models applied to prediagnostic CT scans and electronic health records ...