The pancreas is part of the digestive system located near to major blood vessels, the bile duct and the intestine. Pancreatic cancer (9,600 cases/year in the UK) is usually only diagnosed at an advanced stage, meaning that surgical removal of the tumour is rarely possible. Barriers to effective medical treatment are also encountered in pancreatic cancer.
The most common form is pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). One of the hallmarks of PDAC is the formation of rigid fibrotic tissue (stroma) around the tumour, which acts as a protective barrier and impedes treatment by reducing the access of drugs and immune cells.
