Tumor Glycomics Laboratory for Discovery of Pancreatic Cancer Markers

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. In 2006, 32,180 will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and 31,180 will die from it-4 Americans every hour. Pancreatic cancer has the worst 1 and 5 year prognosis of any cancer (4% and 1%, respectively). The high mortality rate for this disease is due mainly to the lack of a means for its early diagnosis. The long-term goal of this RFA application, therefore, is to apply newly developed glycomic technologies to the development of serum markers for pancreatic carcinoma. Pancreatic cancer is somewhat unique in that it is possible to directly collect pancreatic ductal fluid that contains secretions from the cancer which is very likely to contain potential glycoprotein and glycolipid biomarkers. Glycomic analysis of this fluid from pancreatic cancers and control pancreases, coupled with information from pancreatic tissues, including glycotranscriptome analysis, will enable us to focus on specific glyconjugates as potential markers in serum from pancratic cancer patients. Our Tumor Glycomics Laboratory for Pancreatic Cancer represents a collaboration between investigators at the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center at the University of Georgia, including members of the NCRR Center for Biomedical Glycomics, and clinical researchers at the TGen Institute, Phoenix, who are pancreatic cancer specialists. Aims: 1. Glycomic analysis (glycan, glycoprotein, and glycosphingolipid analyses) of pancreatic ductal fluid and controls, including patients with pancreatitis. 2. Glycomic analysis (glycan, glycoprotein, glycosphingolipid, and glycotranscriptome analyses) of pancreatic carcinoma, non-diseased controls, and pancreases exhibiting pancreatitis. 3. Identification of potential serum markers of pancreatic carcinoma and assay development. 4. Initial evaluation specificity and sensitivity of markers. Collection of specimens for analysis will involve TGen and its international Pancreatic Cancer Research Team that involves 26 institutions world-wide, as well as the NCI EDRN for Pancreatic Cancer.