Can the molecules carried by extracellular vesicles help to diagnose pancreatic cancer early?

Background: Pancreatic cancer is a deadly malignancy mainly because of its asymptomatic onset which prevents the implementation of the primary tumour's resection surgery, leading to metastatic spread resistant to chemotherapy. Early-detection of this cancer in its initial stage would represent a game changer in the fight against this disease. The few currently available biomarkers detectable in patients' body fluids lack sensitivity and specificity. Scope of review: The recent discovery of extracellular vesicles and their role in promoting cancer's advancement has boosted interest in researching their cargo, to find reliable early detection biological markers. This review examines the most recent discoveries in the analysis of potential extra vesicle-carried biological markers for the early detection of pancreatic cancer. Major conclusions: Despite the advantages of using extracellular vesicles for early diagnosis, and the promising findings of extracellular vesicle-carried molecules possibly functional as biomarkers, until now there are no validated markers derived from extracellular vesicles available to be used in the clinic. General significance: Further studies in this direction are urgently required to provide what would be a major asset for defeating pancreatic cancer.