Study highlights promising blood test for early pancreatic cancer detection

Key Takeaways:

• A new blood-based test showed strong potential to detect early-stage pancreatic cancer.
• The international study included more than 1,700 patients across multiple countries.
• The PANXEON score improved detection accuracy and reduced false positives compared with current tools.
• AHN Cancer Center played a key role in patient enrollment, data collection and translational research.

PITTSBURGH - Researchers from Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Cancer Center contributed to a major international study evaluating a new blood-based test that could help detect pancreatic cancer earlier, when treatment is most effective.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common form of pancreatic cancer, is one of the deadliest cancers, with a five-year survival rate of about 12 percent and the majority of cases diagnosed at advanced stages.

Published in Nature Medicine, the prospective, multicenter study assessed a novel liquid biopsy approach that analyzes microRNA markers in the blood and combines them with the commonly used biomarker CA 19-9. The resulting composite score, known as PANXEON, demonstrated strong performance in identifying early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, a disease that is often difficult to diagnose at an early stage.

The study included more than 1,700 patients from institutions across the United States, Europe and Asia, highlighting a large-scale collaborative effort to improve early detection strategies.

Investigators found that the blood test achieved high sensitivity for detecting early-stage disease and showed potential to reduce false-positive results compared with existing approaches. The assay also demonstrated the ability to identify high-grade precancerous lesions and track changes during treatment and recurrence.

The AHN Cancer Center played a key role in the study, contributing patient data, biospecimens and clinical expertise. AHN researchers also supported a cohort used to evaluate how biomarker levels change before and after treatment, helping to inform the assay's potential clinical applications.

"Early detection remains the most important opportunity we have to improve outcomes in pancreatic cancer," said Ali H. Zaidi, MD, medical director of aerodigestive research at the AHN Cancer Center, professor of surgery and medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine, and a co-author of the study. "This study demonstrates the potential of a simple blood test to identify disease earlier and more accurately, which could help guide surveillance and intervention for high-risk patients. Our team at AHN is proud to contribute to research that brings us closer to more effective, less invasive diagnostic tools."

David L. Bartlett, MD, director of the AHN Cancer Center and president of the AHN Research Institute, was also a co-author of the study.

"Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers because it is often diagnosed too late," said Dr. Bartlett. "Research like this moves us closer to detecting disease earlier, when treatment can be most effective. At AHN, we are committed to advancing innovation in early cancer detection, and this work reflects the goals of our S.T.O.P. Cancer campaign to accelerate discoveries that can improve outcomes for patients."

Pancreatic cancer remains a relatively uncommon cancer compared with other malignancies, but it accounts for a disproportionate number of cancer deaths because it is typically diagnosed late and progresses quickly.

Researchers say tools like PANXEON could complement existing imaging-based surveillance strategies, particularly for individuals at elevated risk, and help enable earlier diagnosis and treatment.

While additional research is needed, investigators say the study represents an important step toward scalable, noninvasive screening approaches that could improve outcomes for patients at risk of pancreatic cancer.