Pancreatic cancer cells reshape DNA to evade treatment

Researchers from the Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego and New York University (NYU) have discovered that pancreatic cancer cells continuously reshape their DNA to evade medical treatments. The study, published in the journal Nature Genetics, focused on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), an aggressive malignancy with a five-year survival rate of less than 15 percent.

By analyzing the genetic activity of 443,451 single cells from 62 tumors across 59 patients, the study provided a granular view of how tumor subpopulations reconfigure themselves over time. Unlike traditional bulk cell analysis, this single-cell approach revealed that different clones evolve in parallel within a single tumor. These clones develop distinct identities and interact differently with the immune and stromal landscape.

This genetic heterogeneity explains why the disease is exceptionally difficult to treat, as every tumor is unique. The findings indicate that the ongoing reshaping of DNA drives both metastasis and the ability of certain cell clusters to resist therapy.