The Lancet sub-journal: The mechanism of action from benign pancreatic cysts to pancreatic cancer

An international team of researchers led by the University of California, San Francisco, outlined the comprehensive immune landscape and microbiota

"This will have a profound impact on how we use immunotherapy to treat certain types of pancreatic cancer, and may also inhibit the formation and progression of cancer caused by pancreatic cysts," said

The immune tumor microenvironment of IPMNs evolves during malignant progression

As tumors progress from low-grade abnormal hyperplasia to high-grade abnormal hyperplasia to invasive carcinoma, the cytotoxic immune response rich in CD8+ T cells shifts to an immunosuppressive environment accompanied by a measurable inflammatory response

The researchers believe that therapies that support cytotoxic T cells may be ideal for low-risk IPMNs, while treatments that target regulatory T cells, myeloid inhibitory cells, and inhibitory macrophages may play a role

The researchers discussed that as the number of dysplasias progressively increased, the tumor microenvironment showed increased concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines and cystic cytokines, which suggested a T-cell immune response

The researchers also recommend further study of the tumor immune microenvironment of pre-invasion lesions, including a comparative assessment

Tommaso Pollini, Volcan Adsay, Gabriele Capurso, Marco Dal Molin, Irene Esposito, Ralph Hruban, Claudio Luchini, Laura Maggino, Hanno Matthaei, Giovanni Marchegiani, Aldo Scarpa, Laura D Wood , Claudio Bassi, Roberto Salvia, Mari Mino-Kenudson, Ajay V Maker.