Estrogen Production in Pancreatic Cancer Shapes a Tumor-Suppressive Stromal Microenvironment.

ABSTRACT: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death due to a lack of effective therapeutic interventions. PDAC tumors are highly fibrotic, and stromal abundance is hypothesized to contribute to patient outcomes. However, stromal fibroblasts can be tumor promoting and tumor restraining, which could explain the disappointing clinical results of stromal-targeting therapies. In this study, we observed that serum levels of stromal biomarkers associated with favorable outcomes were significantly higher in female patients with PDAC compared with male patients. This was supported by in silico estimates of stromal abundance across solid cancers, as well as magnetic resonance elastography and tissue staining, which revealed that female patients with PDAC had stiffer tu

SUBMITTER: Manoukian P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12862343 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature