Scientists Find Gene that Inhibits Pancreatic Cancer Spread

Recently a gene has been identified that slows the spread of pancreatic cancer tumors. Because of this discovery, advances in treatment for the most deadly form of this disease should be made. Previously the gene (USP9X) had been shown to reduce the spread of the cancer in mice, and now it has been discovered that is also plays the same role in humans. Scientists examined several human pancreatic cancer patients and saw that the ones without the gene died much more quickly than patients with the gene, and also had a higher spreading of the cancer. 

The gene's existence has been known for a while, but only recently has this more important discovery been made. Non mechanistically speaking, the gene plays a role in stopping metastasis, the spreading of cancer from organ to organ, in patients with pancreatic cancer. This is crucial, because metastasis is almost always the cause of death in pancreatic cancer patients. The proposed treatment method involves using drugs to "wake up" the gene in patients who do not normally express it, and thus provide a therapeutic method for the worst form of this cancer. 

This discovery is important and particularly interesting to me because pancreatic cancer is one of the most dangerous forms of cancer and kill more than 95% of it's victims within five years. Although it is usually not discovered until it has spread to other organs, utilizing this discovery to potentially save the lives of people who are diagnosed for pancreatic cancer early in the life of the disease is remarkable.