Project description
Pancreatic cancer: precision biomarkers for early detection
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) exhibits extremely poor prognosis, largely due to late diagnosis and the absence of early biomarkers. Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) are precancerous pancreatic cysts that may progress into PDAC. These common PDAC precursors are thought to be responsible for 20 % to 30 % of all PDAC cases. However, current diagnostic criteria often misdiagnose or miss IPMNs, leading to erroneous classification and decision-making. The ERC-funded easi-IPMN project builds on a previously discovered gene signature that identifies pre-neoplastic cells. The goal is to validate the signature as a biomarker to accurately classify IPMN patients and determine PDAC risk, facilitating early detection and personalised management.
Objective
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal cancer with rising global incidence and poor survival rates. Early PDAC diagnosis is hampered by non-specific symptoms and by the absence of reliable early biomarkers. On the other hand, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs), precursor lesions of PDAC, are commonly found during abdominal imaging. IPMN management lacks consensus, leading to inefficient decisions decisions on empirical assessments of high-risk stigmata (HRS) and worrisome features (WF). There is an urgent need for precise IPMN patient classification to guide personalized treatment decisions, reducing unnecessary surgeries and late interventions.
Our ERC-StG project identified a gene signature marking pre-neoplastic cells in PDAC precursor lesions. We propose testing this signature as a biomarker for PDAC in IPMN patients, to distinguish those at high-risk or low-risk of progressing to invasive carcinoma. Successful validation of the signature as a biomarker holds benefit clinical management of IPMN patients, mitigating the economic and societal consequences of over-treatment and under-treatment. At the same time, these activities should advance early detection in pancreatic cancer. Our multidisciplinary approach and groundbreaking discoveries put us in the best position to tackle this key challenge in immuno-oncology.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-POC
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20132 Milano
Italy
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