Researchers Map Genomic Variations Driving Pancreatic Cancer Disparities

Biological distinctions within pancreatic cancer tumors have been identified by researchers at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, a finding that may enable tailored treatments for specific demographic groups. The study highlights variations in tumor genetics and immune environments among different populations of Americans.

Genomic mapping across diverse cohorts

Nina Steele, PhD, an assistant professor at UC’s College of Medicine, led the investigation alongside Howard Crawford, PhD, scientific director of the Henry Ford + Michigan State University Pancreatic Cancer Center. Their work was recently published in the journal Cancer Research. While incidence and survival rates for pancreatic cancer differ among American populations, prior data lacked sufficient detail to pinpoint specific genomic disparities between these groups.

“We didn't have an accurate reflection of all of the patients impacted by the disease reflected in the data,” said Steele, who is also a member of the Cancer Center. She noted that no large-scale multiomic effort had previously examined tens of thousands of biological markers across a diverse cohort of pancreatic cancer patients.

Molecular signatures and drug resistance

Steele and her colleagues, including those at Henry Ford Health where the project began, mapped genomic information from a representative sample of the U.S. population diagnosed with the disease. Black African Americans (BAA) are 20% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than other groups. The team discovered that cancer cells in BAA and Non-African Americans (NAA) exhibit different molecular signatures.

These cells produce unique RNAs and proteins, which could influence how individual patients respond to targeted therapies such as RAS inhibitors. Markers upregulated in Black patients likely represent a cell type associated with drug resistance, suggesting this biological difference may impact clinical outcomes.

Immune microenvironment variances

The research also revealed differences in B cells, a type of immune cell found within pancreatic tumor microenvironments. In BAA samples, these B cells were more abundant but also more immunosuppressive, meaning they dampen the body’s natural immune response against the cancer.

“This may mean the B cells are helping the cancer cells hide in this patient population,” Steele explained. “This could help explain why this population is more likely to get the cancer, and why it's worse when they get it, but more work is needed on pancreas tissues from individuals that do not have cancer.”

Pathway to personalized medicine

Steele stated that the study establishes a framework for further investigation into the mechanisms behind these biological differences and their effect on patient outcomes. The findings align with broader trends in personalized medicine, where detailed data drives specific treatments tailored to individual needs. Future research could potentially lead to the classification of entirely new subtypes of pancreatic cancer, mirroring developments seen in breast and prostate cancer.

“The Cancer Center is here to serve everybody, and to find the answers that help all patients,” Steele said. “The hope is to know more about the characteristics of the cancer cells earlier on, so that we have a plan of attack for what therapies come after current standards of care in a very rational way. We're headed toward forecasting, the ability to better predict what will happen to every patient in their journey before it happens.”

Journal reference:

Wu, Y., et al. (2026). Spatial transcriptomics on a diverse pancreatic cancer cohort reveals race-related differences in tumor subtypes and immune microenvironments. Cancer Research. DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-25-2748.