Spanish and Argentine Scientists Target Pancreatic Cancer on Two Fronts

A collaborative effort between scientists in Spain and Argentina is pioneering a novel dual-action strategy against pancreatic cancer, a disease notoriously difficult to treat and with a poor prognosis. The research, involving institutions like the Barcelona-based Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques and Argentina's Conicet, aims to simultaneously trigger tumor cell death and mobilize the immune system to fight the cancer.

The study, published in *Science Advances*, highlights the protein PARP2 as a critical factor in the survival of pancreatic tumors. Researchers discovered that inhibiting PARP2 has a two-pronged effect: it prevents tumor cells from repairing DNA damage, leading to their demise, and simultaneously enhances the immune system's ability to recognize and infiltrate the tumor.

This approach is particularly significant for pancreatic cancer, often categorized as a "cold tumor." This classification indicates a low presence of immune cells within the tumor, limiting the effectiveness of treatments like immunotherapy. The new findings suggest a way to alter this scenario by creating "replicative stress" within the rapidly dividing tumor cells. By blocking PARP2, the cells' natural repair mechanisms are disrupted, causing internal damage and death, while also increasing the visibility and activity of immune cells in the tumor's microenvironment.