DNA Promoter Hypermethylation as a Blood Based Maker for Pancreatic Cancer
DNA Promoter Hypermethylation as a Blood Based Maker for Pancreatic Cancer
The objectives of this project are to test whether alteration in DNA hypermethylation in
 plasma is:

 -  a diagnostic marker for pancreatic cancer

 -  a prognostic marker for pancreatic cancer

 -  a marker for recurrence of pancreatic cancer

 -  changing during the course of chronic pancreatitis, with the purpose of finding patients
 with high risk of developing pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer (PCa) is one of the most deadly cancers with a 5-year survival rate of less
 than 10 %. The majority of PCa are found to be none-resectable at the time of diagnosis. Only
 10 - 20% of patients are offered surgical treatment, which is the only chance of cure. The
 mean survival times of none-resected patients are 3 to 6 months. Despite surgical treatment
 many patients experience recurrence. The high overall mortality is mainly caused by
 difficulties in early diagnosis due to unspecific/lack of symptoms in the early stages of the
 disease.

 Patients with resectable tumors and no co-morbidity, have a 5-year survival rate up to 54 %.
 This indicates that early detection of the disease, which enables complete surgical resection
 of the tumor, is a way to improve survival. Chronic pancreatitis is one of the only known
 risk factors for PCa.

 Currently there is no valid diagnostic marker for PCa. Diagnosis requires advanced methods
 and several of these are invasive and entail a risk of complications. A blood-based marker
 for pancreatic cancer would be a major achievement and of great benefit to the patients, and
 may even be used in screening.

 During development of cancer changes in DNA arise, including DNA hypermethylation where a
 methyl residue is attached to the DNA. The methylation most frequently occurs in the
 regulatory region of the gene leading to inactivity. Some of the inactivated genes are
 necessary to ensure the control of cell growth. When these genes are inactivated, the cell
 will no longer be subject to normal control mechanisms and may eventually develop into a
 cancer cell.

 Small amounts of DNA are released into the blood and can be detected in a blood sample. The
 DNA changes may be tumor specific and potentially useable as a marker for PCa. In 2012 our
 research unit in cooperation with Department of Molecular Diagnostic, Aalborg University
 Hospital published an optimized method for detection of hypermethylated DNA in plasma. The
 method has greatly improved sensitivity.

 The purpose of our study is to test whether alterations in DNA hypermethylations in blood can
 be used as:

 -  A diagnostic marker for pancreatic cancer.

 -  A prognostic marker for pancreatic cancer.

 -  A marker for recurrence.

 -  Monitoring patients with chronic pancreatitis and detecting patients with particularly
 high risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients with chronic pancreatitis who are hospitalized or have an outpatient visit at
 Aalborg University Hospital Or

 -  Patients hospitalized at Aalborg University Hospital, with acute pancreatitis verified
 by UL, CT or MR-scan and/or increased s-amylase

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Prior cancer history.

 -  Anticoagulant therapy.

 -  Immunological tissue disease.