Why is early detection of pancreatic cancer especially important?

Pancreatic cancer has the worst prognosis of any of the six cancer types screened by OncuraKit, primarily because it is almost universally diagnosed at an advanced stage. There is no standard population screening test for pancreatic cancer — CA-19-9 is an approved marker but lacks the sensitivity and specificity for early detection in the general population. More than 80% of pancreatic cancers are diagnosed at Stage III or IV, when surgery is no longer possible. The 5-year survival rate for all stages combined is approximately 12%. When caught at Stage I or II (while still surgically resectable), the 5-year survival rate rises to 20–40%. miR-21-5p is strongly overexpressed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma even at early stages. OncuraKit offers the first commercially available screening option targeting pancreatic cancer in a non-invasive, at-home format.