About this Research Topic
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PC) is a complex disease and its unique microenvironment hosts a heterogenous combination of cell populations interacting with the tumour: these include not only immune cells (involved both in the innate and the adaptive immunity), Pancreas Stellate Cells (PSCs) and Cancer Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) but also microbes. Potentially, microrganisms seem to be involved in every step of the natural history of PC, from the creation of a predisposing environment for in situ carcinogenesis, to cell migration and metastasis. Recent publications have also highlighted an influential role of microbial populations, inside and outside the tumour, on the efficacy and clinical outcomes of therapy protocols.
Given the current state of scientific literature, there is a relative scarcity of information regarding the molecular pathways involved in the cross-talk between PC and microrganisms. It is for these reasons that we consider the tumoral microbiota a promising niche for multidisciplinary research, which current therapies can benefit from.
Nearly 85% of pancreatic cancer patients shows signs of advanced disease, the most common being biliary duct obstructions. Biliary drainage is often required to relieve the obstruction, through either Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), Percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage (PTCD) Endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) or endoscopic ultrasound guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD). ERCP is recommended as the preferred route of drainage. However, more recent studies challenged the role of ERCP, suggesting a possible benefit of PTBD, instead. While PTCD seems to alter the composition of gut microbiota, sparing bile microbiota, ERCP would favor the reflux of intestinal bacteria into the biliary system by connecting the gastrointestinal system with the biliary system. A single-center retrospective study showed that undergoing preoperative bile drainage with stent placement among patients with periampullary cancer shifted the bile microflora to a more aggressive spectrum, e.g., Enterobacter cloacae, responsible for tumor progression and resistance to current tumor therapies.
We encourage the submission of up-to-date experimental articles and reviews, focusing on, but not limited to, the following subtopics:
1. composition and origin of the tumoral microbiota (native and non-native colonies)
2. cross-talk between microbes and different cell populations in the tumor pabulum
3. analyze the various types of bile drainage and how these can influence the microbiota
4. the mutual influence between current therapy protocols (chemo-radio-immunotherapy, endoscopic procedures, surgery) and the PC microbiota
5. potential implications of microrganisms and their derived compounds in future therapeutic strategies (e.g. probiotics, Fecal Microbiota Transplantation).
Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.
Given the current state of scientific literature, there is a relative scarcity of information regarding the molecular pathways involved in the cross-talk between PC and microrganisms. It is for these reasons that we consider the tumoral microbiota a promising niche for multidisciplinary research, which current therapies can benefit from.
Nearly 85% of pancreatic cancer patients shows signs of advanced disease, the most common being biliary duct obstructions. Biliary drainage is often required to relieve the obstruction, through either Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), Percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage (PTCD) Endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) or endoscopic ultrasound guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD). ERCP is recommended as the preferred route of drainage. However, more recent studies challenged the role of ERCP, suggesting a possible benefit of PTBD, instead. While PTCD seems to alter the composition of gut microbiota, sparing bile microbiota, ERCP would favor the reflux of intestinal bacteria into the biliary system by connecting the gastrointestinal system with the biliary system. A single-center retrospective study showed that undergoing preoperative bile drainage with stent placement among patients with periampullary cancer shifted the bile microflora to a more aggressive spectrum, e.g., Enterobacter cloacae, responsible for tumor progression and resistance to current tumor therapies.
We encourage the submission of up-to-date experimental articles and reviews, focusing on, but not limited to, the following subtopics:
1. composition and origin of the tumoral microbiota (native and non-native colonies)
2. cross-talk between microbes and different cell populations in the tumor pabulum
3. analyze the various types of bile drainage and how these can influence the microbiota
4. the mutual influence between current therapy protocols (chemo-radio-immunotherapy, endoscopic procedures, surgery) and the PC microbiota
5. potential implications of microrganisms and their derived compounds in future therapeutic strategies (e.g. probiotics, Fecal Microbiota Transplantation).
Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.
Keywords: microbiota, tumor microenvironment, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, personalized management, pancreatic cancer
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