ETV1 combines tumor cell plasticity with constitution of a pro-tumorigenic stroma in pancreatic cancer

In the western world pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer related deaths with nearly balanced incidence and mortality rates. Due to the lack of early symptoms diagnosis is often delayed resulting in metastatic disease at primary presentation and hence limited therapeutic options. Mutational activation of Kras (Kras^G12D) is the decisive event in PDA initiation followed by subsequent somatic mutations in tumor suppressor genes such as DPC4, p53 and p16.