Study finds the mechanism of pancreatic cancer cachexia formation: tumor cells, macrophages and cancer-related fibroblasts form a microenvironment

2026/10/01 11:30

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs suffered from pancreatic cancer during his lifetime and lost weight significantly during public appearances in his later years; the latest research focuses on the cellular mechanisms of muscle and fat loss in patients with pancreatic cancer. (File photo)

[Compiled by Chen Chengliang/Comprehensive Report] After suffering from pancreatic cancer, some patients will lose weight significantly, and even lose muscle and fat at the same time. A research team from the University of Oklahoma recently discovered that there are three groups of cells that are closely connected to each other around tumors, which may jointly promote this depleting change called cachexia.

University of Oklahoma School of Medicine

The research team published a study in the internationally renowned academic journal "Cell" on September 29. They used single-cell sequencing and spatial transcript analysis to observe pancreatic cancer samples at different stages and found three specific cell groups, including tumor cells, macrophages, and cancer-related fibroblasts. Studies have shown that these cells are in close proximity to each other, creating a microenvironment associated with cachexia.

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Before muscle fat is lost, abnormal cell groups have appeared

Studies have pointed out that these three groups of cells do not operate independently, but form a regulatory network that interacts with each other; as cachexia worsens, the number of related cell groups will also increase. The research team also found that these cell populations may be formed before significant muscle and fat loss occurs, and therefore may provide clues for identifying patients at high risk of cachexia.

"Cachexia" is a wasting syndrome caused by cancer, which will cause continuous loss of weight, muscle and fat. Simply increasing caloric intake may not be able to reverse this change. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) points out that this condition is particularly common in advanced pancreatic cancer, and weight and muscle loss may also affect a patient's physical function and ability to receive treatment.

The University of Oklahoma research team stated that the next step will be to find ways to target these three types of cells and related molecules, hoping to further develop treatment strategies for cancer cachexia. The research team also emphasized that in the future, relevant treatments will still need to be paired with chemotherapy or targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer itself, and will not replace existing cancer treatments.

The current research from the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine mainly provides new clues about the mechanism of cachexia formation in pancreatic cancer, but it is not yet a new treatment that has been proven to prevent wasting in patients.