The role of Eps8 in regulating pancreatic cancer invasion

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The spread of malignant cells locally (tumour invasion) is fundamental to cancer development and progression. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC) has one of the worst outcomes of any cancer; only 3% of patients survive for 3 years, and 50% of patients die within 6 months. Less than 20% of patients are suitable for surgical treatment, and this is because, by the time that PAC is diagnosed, it has spread into adjacent tissues, making surgery impossible. We, and others, have shown that the proteins Eps8 and integrin v 6 are upregulated in a number of different cancer types, including PAC. More recently, we have shown a link between Eps8 and v 6 in regulating the movement of pancreatic cancer cells, although we have not yet identified the mechanism(s) controlling the invasive process. The aim of this study is to determine how the two proteins interact to promote PAC cell movement. Understanding this process will give crucial insight into the biology of tumour cell invasion, and may uncover novel targets for the treatment and/or prevention of PAC