Molecular Imaging: Unveiling Metabolic Abnormalities in Pancreatic Cancer

TL;DR

This review explores how molecular imaging can detect metabolic changes in pancreatic cancer to improve diagnosis and treatment.

Contribution

The paper bridges preclinical and clinical insights to highlight molecular imaging's potential in precision oncology for pancreatic cancer.

Findings

Metabolic reprogramming in pancreatic cancer is driven by mutations in KRAS and other pathways.

Molecular imaging offers non-invasive methods to map metabolic changes in the tumor microenvironment.

These techniques could enhance diagnosis, treatment selection, and monitoring in pancreatic cancer.

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most aggressive malignancies globally, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 13%. This poor prognosis stems from late-stage diagnosis and intrinsic resistance to conventional therapies, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A hallmark of PC is oncogene-driven metabolic reprogramming—notably mediated by mutations in KRAS and other key pathways—which fuels tumor progression and undermines the efficacy of neoadjuvant treatments. Consequently, there is a pressing demand for non-invasive techniques capable of mapping metabolic alterations at both the tumor microenvironmental and systemic levels. This review will discuss molecular imaging techniques that identify metabolic changes within the tumor microenvironment. By bridging preclinical insights with clinical applications, we highlight how these innovations promise to revolutionize PC diagnosis, treatment stratification, and therapeutic monitoring, ultimately paving the way for precision oncology.

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