City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S., and Phoenix-based TGen were awarded a five-year, $4.5 million grant to advance liquid biopsy for pancreatic cancer.

The blood-based diagnostic developed by the National Cancer Institute’s Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium leverages exosomal microRNAs that serve as a biomarker or unique RNA fingerprint for the early detection of disease or recurrence.

Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), headquartered at 445 N. 5th St. in Phoenix, is a nonprofit dedicated to research with life-changing results. TGen is part of City of Hope, an independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.

The National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute awarded the $4.5 million grant to co-principal investigators Ajay Goel, chair of the Department of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics at Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, and Daniel D. Von Hoff, professor in the Molecular Medicine Division at Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).

“Biomarkers are like fingerprints of our health, offering invaluable insights without requiring invasive procedures,” Goel shared in a press release. “The biomarker signature we found is able to act as a text notification, allowing oncologists to detect and monitor pancreatic cancer in a noninvasive manner.”

The American Society of Clinical Oncology identifies pancreatic cancer as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths among adults in the United States. PDAC (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma) is particularly deadly, with less than 6% of patients surviving for five or more years after diagnosis.

One of the main reasons for the high mortality rate of PDAC is the lack of reliable methods for diagnosing it at an early stage when medical treatment can make a significant difference. PDAC typically doesn’t show noticeable symptoms in the early stages, so the most practical approach to early diagnosis is to develop a screening tool that can be used by any doctor for any patient.

The consortium will validate the diagnostic and test its effectiveness in retrospective longitudinal cohorts to assess its utility, the press release notes. Initial data suggest confidence that the diagnostic can identify abnormal cell growth and cancer without requiring surgery.

If accurate, the novel diagnostic has the potential to reduce unnecessary surgeries and associated complications.

“We desperately need tools for very early detection of pancreatic cancer at stages where it can be treated effectively,” Von Hoff stated. “Our preliminary data are promising, and this grant will help solidify just how reliable this test will be.”