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Updated: May 24, 2026

Ultrasound-Guided Orthotopic Implantation of Murine Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Published on: November 19, 2019
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a review of immunologic aspects
Megan B Wachsmann1, Laurentiu M Pop, Ellen S Vitetta
1Masters Program in Clinical Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
Abstract:
With the continued failures of both early diagnosis and treatment options for pancreatic cancer, it is now time to comprehensively evaluate the role of the immune system on the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. It is important to develop strategies that harness the molecules and cells of the immune system to treat this disease. This review will focus primarily on the role of immune cells in the development and progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and to evaluate what is known about the interaction of immune cells with the tumor microenvironment and their role in tumor growth and metastasis. We will conclude with a brief discussion of therapy for pancreatic cancer and the potential role for immunotherapy. We hypothesize that the role of the immune system in tumor development and progression is tissue specific. Our hope is that better understanding of this process will lead to better treatments for this devastating disease.
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