It's a free for all--insulin-positive cells join the group of potential progenitors for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Despite significant efforts, the cellular compartment that gives rise to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the most lethal human cancers, remains obscure. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Gidekel Friedlander and colleagues demonstrate that under conditions of tissue damage, mutant Kras can drive previously unsuspected insulin-positive endocrine cells into PDA.