Enhanced angiogenesis and perineural invasion are markers of poor prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer. Systemic therapies
for pancreatic cancer have been largely ineffective, and thus improved, targeted therapies are needed. Single nucleotide polymorphisms
(SNP) are DNA sequence variations that result in vast diversity of disease susceptibility and response to disease. CXCR2 is
an important mediator of CXC chemokine-induced angiogenesis and is upregulated in pancreatic cancer. In a preclinical corneal
micropocket assay, treatment of pancreatic cancer cell lines that express CXCR2 with anti-CXCR2 antibody inhibited angiogenesis.
To date, there have not been any CXCR2 SNP associated with pancreatic cancer, but CXCR2 SNP has been postulated to be associated
with angiogenesis in systemic sclerosis. The receptor tyrosine kinase encoded by the RET gene and its ligand glial derived
neurotrophic factor (GDNF) are upregulated in pancreatic cancer. In vitro treatment of pancreatic cancer cell lines that express
RET with anti-RET antibody or RET siRNA-inhibited GDNF-induced invasiveness. G691S RET SNP has been previously shown to be
associated with enhanced pancreatic cancer invasiveness. We suggest that molecular profiling of each patient’s tumor for G691S
RET SNP, potentially CXCR2 SNP, and also other yet-to-be identified SNP associated with pancreatic cancer will allow for both
improved understanding of individual prognosis and allow for utilization of more personalized, targeted adjuvant therapies.
This work was presented at the Molecular Surgeon Symposium on Personalized Genomic Medicine and Surgery at the Baylor College
of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA, April 12, 2008. The symposium was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health
(R13 CA132572 to Changyi Chen).