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Tracy Hampton, PhD

JAMA. 2007;298:505.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Pancreatic cancer cells express excessive amounts of a cell receptor known as the RON receptor tyrosine kinase, a finding that has potential implications for treatment, according to a research team led by University of Cincinnati scientists (Thomas RM et al. Cancer Research. http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/ [published online ahead of print July 1, 2007]). Overall survival for pancreatic cancer is only about 4%, according to the National Cancer Institute, at least in part because the disease spreads before it can be detected.

The RON receptor is involved in signaling pathways and is overexpressed in several cancers. This latest study found that this receptor was abundantly expressed in 93% of early pancreatic duct cancers called high-grade pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia, as well as in 79% of primary pancreatic cancers and 83% of metastatic cancers. Minimal expression was seen in normal ducts and low-grade pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (6% and 18%, respectively).

Because . . . [Full Text of this Article]