[Correlation between miR-1178 expression and clinicopathological significance in human pancreatic cancer]

Molecular targets regulating invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most malignant tumors of the digestive system. Invasion and metastasis are important biological characteristics of pancreatic cancer and contribute greatly to the poor prognosis of the patients. Many lines of evidence have recently revealed that many molecules, genes and proteins regulate the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells. Therefore, exploration and a deep understanding of the molecular mechanism accounting for the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer can help find novel pancreatic cancer biomarkers, improve early diagnosis, develop novel and effective treatment strategies, and predict the prognosis. This review summarizes the latest progress in the research of molecular targets for pancreatic cancer and the mechanisms by which they participate in the invasion and metastasis of this aggressive malignancy.