[Molecular factors of pancreatic cancer pathogenesis and prognosis]

There are more than 400 new pancreatic cancer cases in Lithuania each year. More than half of these cases are a stage four diseases. The survival of patients with pancreatic cancer is short (median survival of patients with metastatic disease is about 6 months) and the treatment is not very effective. Analysis of the etiopathogenesis of pancreatic cancer and search for the effective early diagnostic methods, which could predict the response to treatment and increase the survival of these patients, is important. This article is the review of literature about molecular pathogenetic and prognostic factors of pancreatic cancer. Most important of these factors to date are K-ras gene mutation and p53 abnormal protein detection. The detection of K-ras mutation has prognostic value. This mutation could be detected in different human tissues: in the tumor, in regional lymph nodes, plasma, pancreatic juice, stool and other body fluids. Analysis of factors of pancreatic cancer pathogenesis and prognosis will not only help in earlier diagnosis of this cancer, but also will help to apply the current treatment methods more effectively. Research on such factors will be the basis for creation of new treatment modalities like biological therapies.