Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is expected to become the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Europe by 2040. Unlike other types of cancer, survival rates for pancreatic cancer have barely improved over the past 50 years, and the typical patient lives only 8–10 months after diagnosis. Although most pancreatic tumors share a small set of specific genetic mutations, cancer cells within a specific tumor show great genetic and non-genetic diversity. This variability affects how the disease progresses and how well treatments work, yet current diagnostic and treatment methods largely overlook these differences.

The COMBAT-PDAC project aims to address this gap by focusing on understanding and targeting the whole spectrum of heterogeneous pancreatic cancer cells present in individual tumors. By combining several advanced methods, such as in-depth genetic analysis, data-driven insights, and innovative therapies including engineered antibodies and engineered T lymphocytes (CAR-T cells), COMBAT-PDAC seeks to find ways to effectively target the many types of cells within a single tumor. The project’s goals include identifying and validating specific markers that can detect the diverse cell types in pancreatic tumors, creating and testing tools to specifically target these different cells, and understanding how these markers influence the progression of the disease. This comprehensive approach could reveal new strategies for diagnosis and pave the way for personalized treatment options.

Through these efforts, COMBAT-PDAC hopes to develop groundbreaking tools that better address the complexity of pancreatic cancer, potentially improving outcomes and survival for patients.