Research Effort to Focus on Pancreatic Cancer Exosomes in Blood

Curtin University (in Western Australia) researchers will investigate the make-up of cancer-carrying “bubbles” (exosomes) with the ultimate aim of detecting pancreatic cancer in its early stages, thanks to funding from PanKind, The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation. Led by Professor Marco Falasca, PhD, from the Curtin Medical School, the research would focus on so-called “bubbles” located in pancreatic cancer cells that can be discovered in blood and other body fluids. Professor Falasca said the research is ultimately aimed to help detect pancreatic cancer--one of the deadliest and most aggressive forms of cancer--in its early stages, allowing for early intervention and the development of effective drug therapies.