Despite the development of newer oncological treatment, the survival of patients with pancreatic cancer (PC) remains poor. Recent studies have identified exosomes as essential mediators of intercellular communications and play a vital role in tumor initiation, metastasis and chemoresistance. Thus, the utility of liquid biopsies using exosomes in PC management can be used for early detection, diagnosis, monitoring as well as drug delivery vehicles for cancer therapy. This review summarizes the function, and clinical applications of exosomes in cancers as minimally invasive liquid biomarker in diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic roles.
Keywords: Biomarker; Circulating biomarkers; Clinical applications; Exosomes; Liquid biopsy; Pancreatic cancer.
©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.