Case Report: E-cadherin and Vimentin expression in advanced-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissue and circulating tumor cells: preliminary results from a pilot study

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This pilot study investigated E-cadherin and Vimentin expression in advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissues and circulating tumor cells.
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EUS-FNB was utilized for tissue acquisition, revealing E-cadherin absence in three G3 tumors and low-to-moderate positivity in others.
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Vimentin expression was generally negative in biopsies, but observed in 81.8% of circulating tumor cell samples, indicating a mesenchymal profile.
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The study highlighted distinct differences in EMT marker expression between primary tumors and circulating tumor cells in PDAC.
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Findings suggest that E-cadherin loss and Vimentin gain may play critical roles in the metastatic process of pancreatic cancer.

Frontiers In Oncology

by Maria Cristina Rapanotti, Maria Giovanna Scioli, Alessandro Moscardelli, Edoardo Troncone, Elisa Cugini, Tara Mayte Suarez Viguria, Lorena Vergilii, Martina Puzzuoli, Silvia Anzillotti, Sonia Terriaca, Tonia Cenci, Eleonora Muzzi, Elena De Cristofaro, Luca Savino, Luca Toti, Anastasia De Luca, Amedeo Ferlosio, Giovanna Del Vecchio Blanco, Augusto Orlandi
May 29, 2026

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