Molecular mechanisms of pancreatic cancer dissemination: the role of the chemokine system

Over the last decade it has been established that cancer-associated inflammation affects many aspects of malignancy and in particular endorses tumor cell survival, proliferation and distant spread. Chemokines and their receptors are major players of the cancerrelated inflammation. Our understanding of the chemokine role in tumor biology now ranges from their ability to recruit blood leukocytes within tumors, to direct effects on cancer cell survival, metastatization and regulation of angiogenesis. Chemokines and their receptors are expressed in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma and are involved in its malignant behavior. Notably, the receptor CX3CR1 favors tumor perineural tropism which is typical of this neoplasm and is associated with early recurrence after surgery and with poor patient prognosis.