03/17/2026
What if pancreatic cancer could be stopped before it even begins?
Researchers at Penn Medicine, led by Minh Than, MD, PhD, a clinical and research fellow in Hematology-Oncology, Ben Stanger, MD, PhD, director of the Penn Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, and Robert Vonderheide, MD, DPhil, director of Penn Medicine - Abramson Cancer Center, are working toward that goal.
Their latest research focuses on targeting the earliest, pre-cancerous changes in the pancreas. In preclinical studies, they were able to eliminate these lesions before they developed into pancreatic cancer.
Why is this so important?
Pancreatic cancer is often found at a later stage, when treatment options are more limited. Because there is no routine screening for the general population, prevention and early intervention are critical.
This work is part of an emerging field known as “cancer interception”, an approach focused on stopping cancer before it fully develops. For people at increased risk, including those with inherited gene mutations like BRCA, this research represents meaningful progress toward earlier, more proactive care.
While still in early stages, this is an exciting step toward changing how we approach pancreatic cancer.
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