Staging Missteps Highlighted in Pancreatic Cancer Study: A Call for Diagnostic Advances

A Cedars-Sinai Cancer study reveals that early pancreatic cancer is incorrectly staged in up to 80% of cases. The study underscores the urgent need for advanced diagnostic technologies, potentially reshaping early cancer research and treatment. Findings were published in JAMA.

A recent study from Cedars-Sinai Cancer unveiled a significant issue in the staging of early pancreatic cancer, finding that up to 80% of cases are incorrectly staged. These findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA, stress the need for significant advancements in diagnostic technology and staging methods.

The investigation reviewed data from over 48,000 patients in the National Cancer Database, all diagnosed with stage 1 or stage 2 pancreatic cancer through preoperative imaging. Post-surgical evaluations showed that more than 78% of stage 1 patients and over 29% of stage 2 patients were upstaged, often due to previously undetected lymph node involvement.

"Our research highlights that staging is frequently inaccurate in early-stage pancreatic cancer, which is crucial for treatment decisions and research eligibility," said Dr. Srinivas Gaddam of Cedars-Sinai. "As we move towards earlier diagnoses, accurate staging becomes even more critical."

Lymph node involvement is a significant factor in cancer staging, often missed by current imaging technologies. "Patients with lymph node involvement have poorer survival rates," Gaddam stated, emphasizing that accurate lymph node assessment is essential.

Survival rates for stage 1 pancreatic cancer exceed 83%, plummeting to 3% at stage 4. Improved diagnostic technologies, exemplified by Cedars-Sinai's Molecular Twin Precision Oncology Platform, aim to enhance early detection and staging, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Gaddam's key advice is for clinicians to acknowledge imaging limitations and strive for better assessment methods. He also called for innovative advancements to refine screening and diagnostic tools, hoping for significant improvements within the next decade to enable earlier detection and treatment.

(With inputs from agencies.)